Guest Blogger...

Good day!

I was recently contacted by John O'Connor. Mr. O'Connor expressed interest in sharing some information on hearing loss. I have decided to let him "Guest Blog" for my next entry. I hope you find the content informative and helpful.

Have a great day, and thanks, John!

How to Prevent Hearing Loss

Hearing Loss

When it comes to general health, many people neglect to seriously consider their hearing. Although hearing impairment in most cases is not noticeable until old age, situations can arise where hearing can be dramatically damaged. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your hearing healthy and prevent future hearing loss.

Hearing loss is defined as either the gradual or sudden loss of ability to hear. Due to many varying factors, hearing loss ranges from mild to severe cases, which may be temporary, or life long. Many patients with severe hearing loss at old age began experiencing the decrease of hearing over time, but cases were so subtle that they did not recognize the symptoms until too late.

Symptoms

One of the most common symptoms of hearing loss is patients' sudden difficultly understanding other people. This symptom is difficult to notice and pinpoint if patients are unaware of what to look for in regards to hearing loss.

Other symptoms of hearing loss include:
• Chronic ear pain.
• Decreased hearing in the form of voices and noises sounding muffled.
• The increase in chosen volume selections over time.
• A feeling of itchiness inside the ear.
• Tinnitus - a condition in which patients hear noises such as buzzing and ringing within the depths of the ear.
• Vertigo - a condition in which patients feel dizziness and nausea.

Causes

These are 2 categories which contain the causes of hearing loss:
• Aging - Aging brings on hearing loss due to changes that occur within in depths of the ear over time. This form of hearing loss is life long for patients who suffer from it.
• Loud Noise - Noise can cause sudden or gradual hearing loss. Very loud noises, such as concert music, trains, explosions, etc, damage structures found within the depths of the ear.

Prevention

There are a multitude of ways to stay healthy and prevent hearing loss:
• If listening to music or sounds through earphones, try to keep the volume setting relatively low.
• Avoid dangerous situations in which explosives, gun shots, or other loud noises occur.
• Avoid the use of objects that enter the inside of the ear.
• If you know you're going to be in a situation in which loud noises occur, prepare by purchasing and wearing earplugs.
• Get your hearing checked regularly by a medical professional.

Treatment

There are various forms of treatment in regards to hearing loss. In mild cases, a build up of earwax will be removed from the inner depths of the ear, or patients can receive antibiotics if their hearing loss is due to infection. In more serious cases, decreased hearing will be treated with hearing aids, as well as other hearing devices. If hearing loss is more extreme, cochlear implants can be effective forms of treatment.

Even if you are not experiencing symptoms related to hearing loss, remember to schedule regular hearing check ups with your medical professional. In some cases of decreased hearing, symptoms may go unnoticed, leading to severe hearing loss over time.