Noise-induced hearing loss in teens is on the rise. Here’s how to prevent it.

As the mother of two teenagers and an audiologist, I’ve always been hyperaware of noise-induced hearing loss and the lasting effects it can have on young people. It may seem like just a minor annoyance to hear your child’s music or phone conversation through their earbuds. After all, they could be up to worse things, right?

While that’s true, it’s also important to consider the permanent damage they could be doing to their hearing. The damage can last much longer than the duration of their favorite song or a conversation with their best friend.

The average pair of earbuds can emit a maximum sound anywhere from 85-110 decibels. After just 15 minutes of exposure, hearing damage can occur. Approximately 40 million Americans have some level of noise-induced hearing loss, and it isn’t just the elderly. In fact, one in seven teens experience this and once damage occurs to the hair cells of the inner ear, it cannot be undone.

The good news is this type of hearing loss is completely preventable, but it may require breaking habits and gentle reminders.

There’s no time like the present to start. As you know, many school districts have been issuing their plans for the 2020-2021 school year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many will be relying on hybrid and distanced learning. As many families prepare to once again have their schools, workplaces and gyms all under one roof during these unusual times, earbud and headphone use is on the rise.

At Chicagoland Hearing Hearing, we recommend the following to prevent hearing loss:

• Keep the volume at 75 decibels or lower. For reference, a typical conversation is around 60 decibels, and a lawnmower is around 90.

• The 60/60 rule is another great guideline. It suggests limiting listening to 60 minutes while keeping the volume below 60%.

• Consider noise-cancelling headphones, as opposed to earbuds. When the source of the sound is in your ear canal, like earbuds, the sound’s volume can increase by six to nine decibels (source: UPMC Pinnacle Health). Noise-cancelling headphones reduce ambient noise, allowing you to hear clearly at a lower volume.

While hearing health may not always be top of mind, it’s important to consider how it may be impacted by new behaviors, like working and learning from home. Your ears will thank you now and later!

By Sara Burdak, Au.D. on Starkey.com

Hearing loss and loneliness are linked

Recent research has found loneliness to be a growing — and troubling — health crisis, affecting more than one-third of people 45 and older. And that was before COVID-19 compelled many of us to work from home and all of us to stay socially distant.

Why is loneliness a health crisis and not simply a social issue? Because, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), loneliness and social isolation are associated with:

• A 50 percent increased risk of dementia

• Up to 45 percent increased risk of premature death

• Higher rates of depression and anxiety

One study equates their health effects with smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Hearing loss is a known contributor to feelings of loneliness and social isolation. And it makes sense. Humans are social creatures! If communication becomes challenging, those with hearing loss may choose to minimize interactions, opt out of invitations, and hunker down at home. Alone.

So it’s not surprising that experts think treating hearing loss can help with loneliness, and obviously hearing aids are key to that. Especially today’s hearing aids, which not only make hearing easier, but can connect us to friends and family through our smartphones, and help motivate us to be more physically and socially active.

We can help! Call Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers by clicking here, today!

Photo by Todd Diemer on Unsplash

Too few people are proactive about their hearing health

Today’s hearing fact — from a Consumer Reports survey of more than 120,000 members — is pretty interesting, we think. Hearing tests are painless and you don’t typically have to go out of your way much to take one.

Plus, hearing is one of only five senses we have, and can play a vital role in our quality of life. So, for so few of us to actively stay on top of our hearing health is pretty surprising.

For instance, we can all name intangible good things that go with hearing, like listening to music, watching TV and movies, engaging with friends and family, or how hearing enhances nature, everyday activities and events.

We know — especially now, during this pandemic — how important hearing is to staying socially connected, informed, and feeling safe.

And we also know that untreated hearing loss is linked to social isolation, an increased risk of falls, depression, hospitalizations and even dementia.

All these reasons are why today’s hearing fact is so startling, and why experts recommend adults be screened for hearing every decade through age 50, and at three-year intervals after that.

If you want to stay on top of your hearing and would like to get it tested, we can help. Just click here and we’ll set up a hearing test near you.

How often should I replace my hearing aids?

Today’s hearing aids are more sophisticated than ever before. They utilize the most advanced microelectronics, wireless radios, and computer processors, and they are built to exacting specifications to offer the best hearing possible. This includes being as resistant to moisture, dust and dirt as a high-tech instrument that sits in your ear all day can be.

However, this does not mean hearing aids never break down or never need to be replaced.

If hearing aids are worn in the manner they are designed to be worn — meaning every day all day long — then they are guaranteed to be exposed to some pretty rough environments. This can include perspiration, body oils, ear wax, hair spray, lotion, makeup, rain, humidity, dust, pollen, etc.

Add to that, hearing aids get dropped, rattled around in purses and back packs, twisted and turned while putting them in and taking them out, and much more. Overall, they take quite a beating but keeping performing.

A five-year lifespan is typical

That said, the average life of a hearing aid is around five years. This is assuming the wearer cleans and maintains the hearing aids regularly and has their hearing healthcare professional check and clean the aids at least every six months.

Still, in that five-year period, it is not unusual for hearing aids to require few repairs. Once hearing aids reach the five-year mark, investing in new hearing aids vs. repairing old ones is something to seriously think about. As durable as today’s hearing aids are, over time the components will break down from daily exposure to the elements. At this point, new hearing aids are a much better investment than continuing to repair the old ones.

Hearing aid technology gets better every year

Purchasing new devices won’t just provide you with a more reliable set of hearing aids. In the time you wore those older devices, hearing aid technology will have advanced. Significantly. This means better sound quality, better hearing in noise, advancements in wireless technology, more accessory options, and more life-enhancing features.

As with all technology, hearing aids are constantly getting better and better. Investing in new hearing aids regularly provides wearers with reliable hearing aids that provide the best hearing possible, which is always the most important thing. And with hearing aids, the return on investment is often priceless.

P.S. Don’t forget to have your hearing checked every year to monitor for any changes in hearing. This could also play a role in the decision to replace your current hearing aids.

Contact Chicagoland Hearing Aid Centers to schedule your first appointment today!