It’s likely that you’ve already observed that you don’t hear as well as you used to. Hearing loss frequently develops because of decisions you make without realizing they’re impacting your hearing.
Many types of hearing loss are preventable with a few basic lifestyle changes. What follows are 6 tips that will help you preserve your hearing.
1. Manage Your Blood Pressure
It’s not okay if your blood pressure remains high. A study revealed that individuals with higher than-average blood pressure are 52% more likely to develop hearing loss, not to mention other health problems.
Take actions to lower your blood pressure and avoid hearing damage. See a doctor as soon as possible and never disregard your high blood pressure. Following your doctor’s advice, eating a healthy diet, managing stress, and exercising regularly are all parts of blood pressure management.
2. Stop Smoking
Here’s one more reason to quit: Hearing loss is 15% more likely to affect smokers. Even more alarming: People who are regularly subjected to second-hand smoke are 28% more likely to develop hearing troubles. The harmful repercussions of second-hand smoke are not only harmful, they also stay in the air for long periods.
Consider protecting your hearing, if you smoke, by quitting. Take measures to reduce your exposure to second-hand smoke if you hang out with a smoker.
3. Control Your Diabetes
Diabetes or pre-diabetes affects one in four adults. A pre-diabetic individual is highly likely to develop diabetes within 5 years unless they make significant lifestyle changes.
Blood vessels that are damaged by high blood sugar don’t effectively transport nutrients. Compared to a person who doesn’t have diabetes, a diabetic person has more than twice the chance of developing hearing loss.
If you have diabetes, safeguard your hearing by taking the proper steps to control it. Protect your hearing by making lifestyle changes if you are at risk of type 2 diabetes.
4. Lose Some Weight
This is more about your health than feeling great about your body image. Hearing loss and other health problems increase as your Body Mass Index (BMI) rises. A slightly obese woman (with a 30 to 34 BMI) has a 17% increased risk of developing hearing loss. A moderately obese person has a 25% chance of hearing loss if they have a BMI of 40.
Work to get rid of some of that extra weight. Your life can be prolonged and your hearing can be safeguarded by something as simple as walking for 30 minutes each day.
5. OTC Medications Shouldn’t be Overused
Hearing impairment can be the outcome of some over-the-counter (OTC) medications. The more frequently these drugs are taken over a long period of time, the higher the risk.
Common over-the-counter medications that impact hearing include aspirin, NSAIDs (such as naproxen, ibuprofen), and acetaminophen. Take these medicines moderately and consult your doctor if you’re using them regularly.
If you’re using the recommended dose for the periodic headache, studies suggest you’ll most likely be okay. Taking them on a daily basis, however, raises the chance of hearing loss by up to 40% for men.
Your doctor’s orders should always be followed. But if you’re taking these drugs each day to control chronic pain or thin your blood, speak with your doctor about lifestyle changes you can make to decrease your dependence on OTC drugs.
6. Eat More Broccoli
Broccoli is loaded with iron in addition to important nutrients such as vitamins C and K. Iron is integral to a healthy heart and proper blood circulation. Iron helps your blood carry nutrients and oxygen to cells to keep them healthy and nourished.
If you’re a vegetarian or don’t eat much meat, it’s important that you consume enough plant-based iron. You’re more likely to be iron deficient because the iron found in plants is less bioavailable than the iron found in meat.
Pennsylvania State University researchers examined over 300,000 individuals. The researchers determined participants with anemia (extreme iron deficiency) were two times as likely to develop sensorineural hearing loss as those without the condition. Age-related irreversible hearing loss is what the technical term “sensorineural hearing loss” refers to.
The inner ear has delicate hair cells that pick up sounds and connect with the brain to transmit the volume and frequency of those sounds. If poor circulation or an iron deficiency causes these little hairs to die they will never grow back.
Don’t wait to get a hearing test because you’re never too young. Reduce hearing loss by implementing these simple tips in your day-to-day life.