4 Surprising Causes of Hearing Loss

Happy New Ear from AudioFetch! Have you started on your New Year’s resolutions? It’s not too late to make healthy hearing one of your goals. With a few simple lifestyle changes, you can protect your hearing in 2020 and beyond.

At AudioFetch, we’re passionate about providing solutions for people with hearing loss or damage. Like AudioFetch customer The Fort Mason Cowell Theatre, we’re dedicated to making the world more accessible for everyone. Our Happy New Ear campaign is all about healthy hearing education. After all, the best solution for hearing loss is prevention.

Protecting your ears starts by understanding the causes of hearing loss. Although some amount of hearing loss occurs naturally with age, many other causes of hearing loss are actually preventable.

Here are four surprising causes of hearing loss:

1. Loud Noise at Work

According to WebMD, 30 million Americans are exposed to dangerous levels of noise at work. Loud machinery, vehicles, and the general noise of factory settings or construction sites can lead to premature hearing loss.

To protect your hearing on the job, wear earplugs or earmuffs and take regular breaks away from the noise.

2. Pressure Changes

Anyone who has ever been on an airplane or driven up a mountain road knows that feeling when your ears need to pop. This sensation is caused by sudden changes in air pressure.

Overtime, this mild discomfort can actually damage your eardrum, inner ear, or middle ear, and result in permanent hearing damage. Frequent flying and scuba diving are common culprits. Use special anti-pressure hearing devices, like EarPlanes, for relief and protection.

3. Explosive Sounds

Exposure to sounds like gunfire, fireworks, and other explosions can cause a type of noise-induced hearing loss known as acoustic trauma.

When acoustic trauma occurs, the tiny hairs on the inner ear — which transmit sound vibrations to your audio nerves — become damaged. This causes hearing loss. Although you can’t always predict and avoid explosive noises, minimize your exposure to these sounds and always use hearing protection.

4. Certain Medications

Finally, certain medications have been known to cause hearing loss. This includes over-the-counter products like aspirin and NSAIDs (naproxen and ibuprofen), as well as prescription medications like blood pressure and chemotherapy drugs.

If you’re taking medication regularly, talk to your doctor about the potential risk of hearing damage. He or she can advise you and adjust your prescription if needed.

Happy New Ear from AudioFetch

To wish you a Happy New Ear, we’re offering 20% off all AudioFetch products for January and February 2020. Just enter code HAPPYNEWEAR20 at checkout (offer cannot be combined with other offers or discounts).

With an AudioFetch assistive listening device, communities like the Belvedere Tennis Club create a truly welcoming space for anyone with hearing issues.

To learn more about how AudioFetch can help you or your customers hear more in 2020, contact us today!