How can you prevent hearing loss?

While not all hearing loss is preventable, many everyday habits can help protect your hearing over a lifetime. The single biggest factor within your control is noise exposure, since loud sound is a leading cause of preventable hearing damage. Combining sensible noise habits with regular checks gives your hearing the best chance of staying healthy for longer.

How can you protect against loud noise?

Noise-induced damage builds up from both sudden very loud sounds and prolonged exposure to moderately loud sound. Practical steps include:

• Wearing earplugs or earmuffs at concerts, sporting events, when mowing or using power tools
• Following the 60/60 guide for headphones, around 60 percent volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time
• Using noise-cancelling headphones so you are not turning volume up to drown out background noise
• Stepping away from speakers and taking quiet breaks in loud venues
• Keeping a safe distance from sources of very loud noise where possible

If you have to raise your voice to be heard by someone an arm's length away, the environment is likely loud enough to warrant protection.

How loud is too loud?

As a rough guide, everyday conversation sits at a comfortable level, while traffic, lawnmowers, power tools and live music are much louder and can contribute to damage with enough exposure. Two things matter: how loud the sound is, and how long you are near it. Louder sounds become risky over shorter periods, so a brief burst of very loud noise and a long stretch of moderately loud noise can both add up. Free sound-level apps on a phone can give a rough sense of when a setting is loud enough to reach for protection.

Does general health play a part?

Looking after your general wellbeing — staying active, not smoking, and keeping up with regular check-ups with your GP — is a sensible part of a healthy lifestyle. These are good habits generally, not a guaranteed protection against hearing loss, but they fit well with looking after yourself overall.

How should you care for your ears?

Gentle ear care helps avoid avoidable problems:

• Avoid cotton buds and other objects in the ear canal, which can push wax deeper or cause injury
• Have ear infections and persistent blockages checked promptly
• Dry your ears gently after swimming to reduce the risk of infection
• Ask your pharmacist or GP about medications that can occasionally affect hearing

The ear is generally good at cleaning itself, so for most people wax does not need to be removed at all unless it is causing symptoms. If it does build up and affect your hearing, it is safer to have it looked at than to try to dig it out at home. A quick examination can confirm whether wax is the issue and what to do about it.

Why do regular hearing checks help?

Hearing often changes gradually, so a check every year or two, especially from around age 50 or if you work in noise, can pick up changes early. Catching a change early means you can act sooner, whether that is protecting your remaining hearing or exploring support options. Early awareness tends to make adjustment easier. At Hearing Help in Newport on the Redcliffe Peninsula, you can book a hearing assessment without a referral. Our audiologists can measure your current hearing, discuss your noise exposure and lifestyle, and suggest practical ways to help protect your hearing going forward. If it has been a while since your last check, it is a simple step worth taking.