Hearing loss: FIVE ways to improve your hearing without a hearing aid

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Losing hearing sensitivity is highly distressing, and an issue people tend to experience as they age. Older people’s hearing degrades as other conditions develop, making later life much tougher to navigate. Many will reach for a hearing aid as a quick and effective solution, but there are others.

Stay away from loud noises

Where possible, people should try and preserve their hearing by avoiding loud noises.

Younger people may accelerate later-life hearing loss by listening to music too loud – 85 decibels and above.

They can correct potential noise damage by slightly turning down the volume bar or wearing ear protection, which allows their ears to adapt to a quieter frequency.

Check for wax

Wax is vital for lubricating and clearing the ear canal, allowing the organs to function at their best.

But, sometimes, people can suffer from excess wax production, which then compacts in the canal.

Compacted wax will block the canal near the eardrum, obstructing hearing, and health professionals can solve the issue by extracting it.

Keep your blood pumping

Exercise is vital for keeping all of the body’s vital organs working in tip-top shape.

Yoga, walking, or a daily jog can help protect the body against age-related inflammation.

If this impacts the brain or ears themselves, it can reduce hearing sensitivity in later life.

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Stop smoking

Smoking has a positive correlation with hearing loss, as it blunts blood flow and oxygen intake.

Cigarettes can also interfere with auditory neurotransmitters and irritate the middle ear lining.

Quitting a smoking habit will help the body repair damaged hearing.

When should you get a hearing aid?

If none of the above helps to reduce hearing loss, people may need a hearing aid.

They work by amplifying noises so people can listen easier in several situations.

Several types of aid exist depending on hearing loss causes and severity.

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