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Age-related hearing loss is incredibly common. Statistics estimate that one in five UK adults suffer from some degree of hearing loss – including 40% of over 50s – making it one of the most common health conditions among adults.
We all know that looking after our hearing is important and, while many of us would like to improve it – you may be unsure how to do this.
With that said, we’ve partnered with hearing care experts, Hidden Hearing, to explore ways to improve hearing and take care of your ear health. With over 280 local clinics and 97,000 customers, Hidden Hearing’s team of hearing care professionals are dedicated to helping more people hear better and break the stigma of wearing hearing aids.
1. Turn down the volume
The inner part of our ear is home to thousands of essential sound-sensing hair cells. These pick up sound waves and turn them into electrical signals, which the brain interprets as sound.
When exposed to too much loud noise, hair cells can become overstimulated, fatigued, and unresponsive to sound. This can result in temporary hearing loss that recovers after a break from loud noise. However, if you continue listening to loud music, hair cells can lose their ability to recover and eventually die – leading to permanent hearing loss.
Experts agree that hair cells can start to become damaged by noise at around 85dB and above. This is a problem considering music at clubs and concerts is usually around 110dB – and some headphones can reach similar levels when the volume’s turned right up.
Research has also found that when hair cells become damaged, neurons (nerve cells in the brain) become hyperactive. This is because it becomes more difficult for the ear to receive electrical signals, so the neurons start searching for them. It’s thought that this hyperactivity may make the brain more aware of the electrical ‘noise’ from the neurons themselves, which is experienced as tinnitus.
To protect your ears, it can help to take regular breaks (for at least five minutes at a time), use your device’s volume limiter, and carry ear plugs with you (many are designed to not muffle sound but just make it a bit quieter and softer). If you’d like to block out sound entirely, you could consider investing in some noise-cancelling headphones.
2. Avoid using cotton buds and other small objects in your ears
Despite being a popular method to remove earwax, it’s important not to place small objects inside your ear canal – including cotton buds. This is because it can damage your eardrum, cause pain, push earwax further into the ear, and increase the risk of hearing loss.
This study found that 68% of people admitted using cotton buds in their ears, with 76% using them at least weekly – despite manufacturers’ warnings not to do so.
Hidden Hearing strongly advises against using cotton buds.
3. Add plenty of hearing-friendly nutrients to your diet
We know that eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in nutrients is important for overall health, but there are some vitamins and minerals that have been found to be particularly beneficial for hearing. This includes vitamin C and D, zinc, potassium, magnesium, folate, and omega-3.
Omega-3s have been shown to support the health of inner ear cells and reduce inflammation caused by the body’s response to loud noises or infections. As a result, this study found that middle-aged and older adults with higher omega-3 levels were 8-20% less likely to report age-related hearing issues than those with lower levels.
Magnesium has also been found to prevent, as well as limit, hearing loss; folate is important for improving circulation in the body and the creation of new cells – including in the ears; and zinc deficiency has been linked with an increased risk of tinnitus.
Check out Hidden Hearing’s list of five foods to help your hearing health for more information.
4. Stop smoking
Like many other health conditions, one of the most important steps you can take to improve your hearing is to stop smoking.
Cigarettes are full of dangerous chemicals, including nicotine and carbon monoxide. Among other things, these chemicals narrow blood vessels throughout the body, reducing blood flow and leading to lower oxygen levels.
Nicotine has also been found to interfere with neurotransmitters in the auditory nerve, which is responsible for communicating sounds to the brain. Some studies have linked it with an increased risk of tinnitus too.
As a result of these findings, research suggests that current smokers have a 15% higher risk of developing hearing loss. Science has also found that the more you smoke, the higher your risk.
If you’d like help and support with quitting smoking, head over to the NHS stop smoking services.
5. Keep an eye out for earwax buildup
While earwax is essential for protecting and lubricating the ear canal and inner ear, too much of it can affect hearing. Without proper treatment, earwax buildup can lead to complications like tinnitus and hearing loss.
Signs of ear wax buildup include difficulty hearing, ringing sensations, discomfort, and a feeling of fullness in the ear.
If you suspect you have an ear wax buildup, it’s important to have your ears checked. You can request an ear wax removal appointment on Hidden Hearing’s website. Using micro-suction technology, Hidden Hearing’s practitioners will quickly, safely, and effectively remove any ear wax buildup.
6. Consider adding meditation to your routine
Over recent years, an increasing number of people have turned to meditation as a way of managing stress. And its benefits have been found to impact hearing too.
Prolonged stress over time can directly affect ear health and increase your risk of developing hearing loss and tinnitus. This is because the extra adrenaline produced can reduce blood flow to the ears. The fragile hair cells of the inner ear rely on a constant supply of blood, oxygen, and nutrients to function properly. As a result, blood flow disrupted by stress can lead them to become damaged, and gradually lead to hearing loss.
For this reason, due to its stress-busting abilities, meditation has been found to improve hearing by encouraging healthy blood flow to the ears. If you’d like to get started, Headspace and Calm are among the most popular self-guided meditation apps.
Alternatively, if meditation isn’t for you, there are plenty of other ways to manage stress levels. Check out our article, 9 simple stress-relieving activities, for more ideas. For example, yoga (which many people find to be a form of meditation) can be particularly beneficial because relaxing and stretching in positions like downward dog increases blood flow to your ears.
7. Stay active
While it might not be the first thing that comes to mind, exercise is key for maintaining and improving hearing.
Further research is needed to fully confirm the link. But various studies have found that staying active and having better cardiovascular fitness can improve hearing and provide a potential preventative measure against age-related hearing loss.
In this study, one group of mice took part in exercise while another group was sedentary. After eight weeks, the group that exercised showed significant improvements in cardiovascular fitness and hearing sensitivity compared to the sedentary group.
One theory for this is that exercise helps to improve blood flow to the ears. The study also found that exercise reduced levels of inflammation and oxidative stress in the ears, which are known contributors to hearing loss.
If you haven’t yet found a form of exercise that you love, you might want to head over to the fitness and exercise section of our website. Here, you’ll find everything from team sports and home workouts to creative ways to increase your step count.
8. Go for regular hearing tests
Hearing loss can occur gradually over time, and often people may not notice it in its early stages. Other people find it difficult to accept their hearing loss, because they feel embarrassed and ashamed – particularly if the loss is age-related.
In fact, according to Hidden Hearing, people can wait up to 10 years before seeking treatment for hearing loss – with it often being friends and family encouraging them to get help.
But we know from research that the earlier hearing loss is caught, the more effective treatment is likely to be. For this reason, it’s important to have regular hearing tests. Experts advise having your ears tested at least once every two years if you’re over 55 – and more often if you already have hearing loss.
If you’re struggling to come to terms with hearing loss, it’s worth remembering that the benefits of seeking help far outweigh any feelings of embarrassment or shame you may be experiencing. For example, it’s been found that people who take action on their hearing loss earlier are typically happier, feel more empowered, have better relationships, and experience increased self-esteem.
Hidden Hearing offers a free hearing test service at their local clinics, which are dotted across the UK. The test offers same-day results, as well as a full consultation with a hearing care professional.
9. Wear hearing aids if necessary
Just like accepting hearing loss can be difficult, many people also find it tricky to wear what they perceive to be a visible sign of their condition: hearing aids.
This study found that approximately 20% of UK adults don’t use their hearing aids at all, and another 30% only use them from time to time.
However, not only are many hearing aids these days designed to be discreet, they can also make a world of difference to a person’s quality of life. There are so many benefits of wearing hearing aids, including being able to join in conversations with ease, not having to worry about having the television on too loud, and taking care of your health long-term.
Part of Hidden Hearing’s mission is to break the stigma of wearing hearing aids and make wearing them as normal as glasses. Check out their article, 4 common myths about hearing loss treatment that are no longer true, to find out more about the benefits of hearing aids.
Final thoughts…
While hearing loss is one of the most common health conditions among adults in the UK, the good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to protect your ears and improve your hearing.
Simple steps like getting regular hearing tests and adding plenty of ear-friendly nutrients to your diet can make all the difference to your ear health. Hidden Hearing offers a range of services and resources that can help too.
For further reading, you’ll find more advice on managing vision and hearing problems in the general health section of our website.
What things have helped you improve your hearing? Will you be trying anything new after reading our article? We’d be interested to hear from you in the comments below.