Millions of people have tinnitus, and for a lot of them, it starts when they are around loud noises that hurt their ears. People often say that tinnitus sounds like ringing, buzzing, or hissing. It’s simply an annoying noise that never goes away.
There are treatments that can help with the condition, but the best way to lower the risk is still to avoid getting it in the first place. Keeping the ears safe from loud noises and extra stress can significantly lower the risk of getting tinnitus.
What Causes Tinnitus?
Tinnitus isn’t exactly a disease, but it’s a symptom of other problems, such as hearing loss. Being exposed to loud noise will cause damage to the small sensory cells in the ears. The brain mistakenly thinks that it’s hearing sound when there’s no noise. People who work in loud places or constantly go to concerts, sporting events, and shooting ranges are likely to eventually hear ringing in their ears.
Even a short burst of loud noise can make the ears ring temporarily. The ringing will go away after a few hours or days. But hearing these sounds over and over again will make the ringing permanent. It’s much easier to protect the ears and prevent the causes of tinnitus than to try to fix it later.
Sounds You Might Not Notice That Are Common
Not every case of tinnitus is caused by a clear-cut or serious event. A lot of the things we do every day put our ears in sound levels that could still be bad for them over time. For instance, motorcycles, lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and listening to music with headphones all the time are very bad for the ears. The main problem is that these sounds can cause lasting effects on the ears, and they can’t even be reversed.
Constantly being exposed to small levels of sound can also lead to long-term hearing changes. By knowing how sound affects hearing health, one can protect their ears for a long time. Just because a person has tinnitus doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t do what they like anymore.
How Ear Protection Helps Keep You Safe
One of the best ways to reduce the chances of getting tinnitus is by wearing ear protection. Earplugs and earmuffs are pretty affordable, easy to find, and simple to use. Musicians, construction workers, and other people who work in loud rooms have to wear ear protection to block out the noise levels.
Earplugs can help a lot for people who are around loud machines or places where people are having fun a lot. Even a little bit of protection can help the ears relax, which can help hearing health in the short and long term. Stopping damage to the ears is much easier than treating tinnitus after it has started.
How to Safely Listen to Music and Use Technology
Many people use personal listening devices nowadays, but they’re very bad for the ears if they’re used at a high volume and for a long time. Earbuds and headphones send sound directly to the ear canal, leading to worse exposure to sounds. This can cause hearing loss and tinnitus as time goes on.
If a person listens to music and podcasts at a safe volume, they remain entertained without affecting their ears. The ears have time to recover when a person reduces the volume and takes breaks from loud sounds. Headphones that are placed over the ears will block out noise, so there’s no need to turn up the volume while in a loud place. By reducing the volume, there’s a lower chance of getting tinnitus later in life.
Steps to Ensure Safety in the Long Term
To prevent tinnitus, the first thing a person needs to know is how normal sounds can affect their hearing. It’s also important to reduce the risk by wearing the right gear to protect the ears and staying away from noisy places. Without protecting the ears, one can end up with irreversible hearing damage.
People who want to improve their ear protection can get important information by making an appointment for a hearing test. Expert evaluations can find early signs of hearing loss and suggest ways to protect each person based on their needs. By acting today, there’s a lower chance of getting tinnitus and ending up with poor hearing.