With March having been ‘Hearing awareness month’, it is important to shed some light on the importance of getting your hearing tested, preventing hearing loss and managing your hearing loss if present.
Do you need a hearing test?
You may need a hearing test if you experience some of the following problems:
•Difficulty hearing, especially in background noise
•Difficulty hearing in a group
•Difficulty understanding what people are saying
•People often sound like they are mumbling
•You often ask people to repeat themselves
•You have ringing or other noises in the ear/s
•Some sounds seem too loud or too soft.
Common causes of hearing loss:
•Old age
•Genetic – someone else in the family also has a hearing loss
•Ear infections – painful ears and fluid coming out of the ears
•Too much ear wax
•Loud levels of noise for long hours at a time
•TB or cancer medication
•Injury to the head or ear.
How to take care of your ears
•Do not put objects into your ears like ear- buds, keys or sharp objects
•Clean your ears with a clean, damp cloth
•If your work in an area with high noise levels, always wear noise protection earplugs.
