Life Sounds Great: Hearing loss runs in my family. Is there anything I can do to prevent it?

Friday, January 2, 2015

Hearing loss runs in my family. Is there anything I can do to prevent it?

While you may not be able to prevent hearing loss completely if it is genetic, there are things you can do to reduce the amount of hearing loss you may experience.

Hearing loss is often results from a reduction in blood of oxygen reaching the ears. When the ears do not get enough oxygen, the nerves starts to deteriorate. Oxygen travels through the blood stream. Reduced blood flow reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches the ears. Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in fats and cholesterol, along with exercise can maintain a health flow of oxygen to your ears.

Besides eating right and exercising, you can also prevent other types of hearing loss altogether. Here are a few things to consider:

Be aware of when, where and how you are exposed to loud sounds. Loud sound, whether it is noise or music, can hurt your hearing. Protect your hearing, use ear plugs or muffs when exposed to loud activities such as car races and fireworks, and performing loud activities such as using power tools. Also, pay attention to how loud you listen to music and keep the volume on the softer side.
Certain medications can cause hearing loss. Some antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs can be harmful to hearing. When on any medication, talk to your doctor about potential side effects.

Receiving good hearing care and regular audiologic evaluations will allow us to monitor your hearing and hearing needs. Call to make an appointment to see one of our audiologists. As part of the evaluation you will have your ear canals checked for earwax and it can be removed safely by the audiologist. We can review your risks for hearing loss and develop a plan for you.

Life sounds great! Enjoy every moment!