October is National Audiology Awareness and National Protect Your Hearing Month!
October 26, 2012
While we always promote good hearing health practices in our community, October is a time to spread awareness on a national scale and provide empowering hearing loss education to the more than 36 million Americans who suffer from it.
More than half of the people with hearing loss are younger than 65, making it the third most common health problem in our country. Untreated hearing loss can negatively affect one’s social and emotional well-being, leading to a decrease in one’s quality of life.
It’s important to know the signs of hearing loss:
- Difficulty understanding people in a noisy environment
- It seems people mumble all of the time
- You frequently ask family members, friends and coworkers to repeat themselves.
- You need people to face you when speaking in order to understand them
- You have ringing or buzzing sounds in your ears.
If you or a loved one currently experiences any of these symptoms, consult a professional hearing specialist in your area and take control of your hearing health. To find your closest provider, click here.
Hearing loss can be caused by many different health and environmental factors, but it is always best to take steps to protect one’s hearing:
- Wear hearing protection when around sounds louder than 85 decibels (like a lawnmower)
- Keep the volume down when listening to electronic devices
- Walk away from the noise
- Refrain from putting anything other than hearing protection in the ear