How Do You Know if You Need Hearing Protection?

Many people are going to need hearing protection at many stages throughout their lives. Noise levels have only increased throughout modern life, and more and more people are noticing unusual levels of hearing loss at an early time in their life. From people working in noisy environments in the long term, to those who love to attend festivals or play their own instruments, keeping your ears safe can be a cause for concern.

If you’re an adult that’s worried about maintaining a healthy level of hearing for the foreseeable future, it’s only natural to want to protect your hearing for as long as possible. So, with that in mind, here’s what you should consider when determining how to best protect your hearing.

Where You Work

The job you do will often be your number one priority when it comes to hearing protection, as many people work in very noisy environments for upwards of eight hours per day, five times a week. People who work in heavy industry, such as construction workers or factory workers, will most often need to invest in hearing protection – most industry workplaces should provide earmuffs free of charge.

However, people in the music sector should also be careful about the level of noise they’re exposed to. Being in such proximity to playing instruments and amplifiers can also impact hearing levels. It’s a good idea to invest in items like noise-canceling headphones to help retain your current hearing level, which can be worn in an undisruptive manner as you go about your day-to-day tasks in the workplace.

Where You Live

If you’re someone who lives in the inner city or you live in a multiple occupancy building, many audiologists will recommend the use of earplugs throughout the day and night to help keep noise levels to a minimum. Most specifically, people who live in these areas will benefit most from the use of sleep-friendly earplugs to allow them to catch a healthy 8 hours of deep sleep during the early hours.

If traffic noise is often a cause for concern where you live, you can also use White Noise machines to help any background disruptions fade to a minimum. This can be left on during the day as well if you work from home or take naps.

What You Like to Do

Hearing protection will also often be needed depending on your hobbies or daily activities. Many activities carry a level of harmful noise that can impact your hearing, such as hunting. Loud gunshots that take place right next to your ear, especially on a long-term basis, can slowly impact your hearing levels.

However, activities such as swimming can also be damaging to the ears. Being exposed to water for long periods of time on a regular basis can lead to ear infections thanks to bacteria growth, most specifically inside the ear canal, which can lead to a reduced hearing level.