Hearing loss is one of the most common medical conditions that affects adults. In fact, about 37.5 million Americans 18 and over report experiencing some difficulty hearing and one out of three people between the ages of 65 and 74 in the United States has hearing loss.
“I think people take it for granted until they lose it,” said Dr. Camilo Fernandez-Salvador, a general otolaryngologist at The Ear, Nose, Throat & Plastic Surgery Associates.
And no one wants to lose it! But some everyday things you do may be causing your hearing loss.
First -- loud noises … anything above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. What’s that mean? A hairdryer can reach up to 85 decibels and some blenders can reach sounds levels up to 100.
Next is Q-Tips.
“You’re not really cleaning your ear with a Q-Tip. You’re mostly packing wax, and you can give yourself an ear infection,” Fernandez-Salvador said.
Another factor — your health.
“High blood pressure, cerebral vascular conditions like history of strokes and things of that nature. Thyroid disease, kidney disease, diabetes can do it. Multiple sclerosis, those are definite ones,” Fernandez-Salvador said.
Smoking can also hurt the ears.
“It can irritate your airways and you can end up with ear infections, things of that nature. And your cochlear is an organ that needs to be fed, uh, blood. So, if you have chronic smoking, you end up having narrower vessels, lack of blood flow,” Fernandez-Salvador said.
And some dental conditions may be linked to hearing loss.
“Bacteria in your teeth can travel to blood vessels that can cause narrowing or inflammation to adjacent organs,” Fernandez-Salvador said.
So, what can you do about it? Studies say try to keep your earbud volume between 60 to 85 decibels. If you have an iPhone, on your health app you can check and see your audio levels and the surrounding environment.
Also, check your medications for any side effects that may harm your ears
“People forget that some medications have major side effects. Simple things like antibiotics can cause hearing loss,” Fernandez-Salvador said.
So, remember to lower the decibels now or you may face the silence later.
Summer is also here so you can expect to see people mowing their lawns. If you’re one of them, remember to wear some hearing protection. A lawnmower can range from 80 to 100 decibels.