Preventative Care

Discovering the Best Headphones for Children That Blend Comfort, Performance and Safety

One thing you can look forward to if you have children is that sooner or later they are going to ask you to buy them some headphones to use with their gaming systems, music players and computers. Not any big surprise there. On balance, headphones commonly offer a better experience when used in combination with learning and entertainment multimedia. Since the question is unavoidable, here are some tips for moms and dads about what to consider when you go shopping. An important criteria that many buyers would not normally come up with is making sure that the headphones fit correctly. Children’s heads are smaller, so headphones created for grownups will likely not fit them the right way, and may not provide the full range of sound to them. Kids may also end up damaging headphones that are too large for their heads by continuously repositioning or adjusting them. A number of children’s headphones come with adjustable headbands that make the initial fit better, and which permit refitting as the youngster grows up.

Hearing and Ear Protection Guidance and Tips for the Shooting Range

America’s affinity for guns is practically unique across the globe; we were raised with TV and movies about police and cowboys and heroes who were all carrying guns and shooting them regularly. Regular exposure to these images is one of many reasons that there are so many American gun owners who very much enjoy firing them at shooting ranges or on hunts. The downside not conveyed to these gun users is that the people shooting guns on television and in movies probably ended up deaf, or battling with serious hearing disabilities. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a very real concern, and accounts for a sizeable percentage of hearing problems in today’s world. The damage done to hearing by loud noises takes two forms – damage caused by transient high noise levels (e.g. explosions or gunfire) and damage caused by sustained high noise levels (e.g. heavy machinery sounds).

Is It Possible To Get Noise Induced Hearing Loss from Concerts?

If you’ve previously attended a modern rock concert and found yourself saying, “That music is just too darned loud,” it doesn’t necessarily indicate that you’re getting old. This reaction could be your body’s way of telling you that you’re in danger of hearing impairment. If after the show your ears are ringing (tinnitus), or you’re unable to hear as well for several days, you’ve probably experienced NIHL – noise-induced hearing loss. This could happen even after short exposures to loud noises, and occurs because high decibel sounds can result in structural damage to the very small hair cells which receive auditory signals in the interior of the ear and transmit the signals to the brain, where they’re interpreted as sounds. Luckily for most people, the noise-induced hearing loss they suffer following a single exposure to very loud music is not permanent, and disappears after a few days. But in the event that you continue to expose yourself to loud noise or music, it can cause tinnitus that doesn’t subside, or a long-term loss of hearing.

Swimmer’s Ear Symptoms and Prevention

Swimmer’s ear, officially referred to as acute external otitis, is an infection of the outer ear canal (the portion outside the eardrum). It was named “swimmer’s ear” because it’s often a result of water remaining in the outer ear after swimming, which creates a damp environment which promotes the growth of bacteria. This condition can also be the result of scratching or harming the delicate ear canal lining by using your fingers, cotton swabs, or other objects in an attempt to clean them. Fortunately swimmer’s ear is readily cured. If untreated, swimmer’s ear may cause serious complications therefore it is essential to recognize the signs and symptoms of the infection. Swimmer’s ear crops up because the ear’s innate defenses (glands that secrete a waxy, water-repellent coating called cerumen) have become overwhelmed. Moisture in the ears, sensitivity reactions, and scrapes to the ear canal lining can all encourage the growth of bacteria, and lead to infection. Certain activities will raise your likelihood of contracting swimmer’s ear. Swimming (obviously), use of inside-the-ear devices (including hearing aids or ear buds), aggressive cleaning of the ear canal and allergies all increase your likelihood of infection.

Earwax Removal – How you’re doing it wrong

One of the most satisfying feelings is cleaning out all off the ear wax that has packed your ears. While it can be a very guilty pleasure for many people, they do not realize the potential harm that they are submitting themselves to by doing this. After all, the only proper way to have your ears cleaned is by a licensed audiologist. Here we will take a look at the three ways that you are cleaning your ears wrong and why a doctor is best.

Foods that can Prevent Hearing Loss – and Hearing Aids

Everyone knows that hearing health declines as we get on in years, making us more susceptible to hearing damage over time. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Did you know that the foods you consume can actually help you curb this chance of hearing loss? By eating healthy foods such as fruits and veggies, you not only keep your whole body working right, you also protect your ears. Doctors have been saying for years that healthy food choices affect our hearing, so why not start eating better and doing what you can to improve it? In this article, we examine great foods to eat that have a direct impact on hearing health.

Getting a Hearing Test Just May Help Your Heart

Keeping track of your hearing by getting a hearing test may help you monitor your cardiovascular health, says the Better Hearing Institute (BHI), which is raising awareness of the link between cardiovascular and hearing health in recognition of American Heart Month in February and National Wear Red Day® on February 6. To help people determine if they need a comprehensive hearing test by a hearing healthcare professional, BHI is offering a free, quick, and confidential online hearing check at www.BetterHearing.org.

6 Ways to Save Your Hearing

The World Health Organization estimates that 1.1 billion people are at risk for noise-induced hearing loss, brought about by exposure to excessive sound levels from personal mp3 devices and very loud settings such as clubs, bars, concerts, and sporting events. An projected 26 million Americans already suffer from the condition. If noise-induced hearing loss occurs from exposure to extreme sound levels, then what is considered excessive? It turns out that any noise higher than 85 decibels is potentially injurious, and regretfully, many of our regular activities expose us to sounds well above this limit. An music player at maximum volume, for example, reaches 105 decibels, and police sirens can hit 130. So is hearing loss an unavoidable outcome of our over-amplified world? Not if you make the right decisions, because it also turns out that noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable.

Why Choose a Local Hearing Care Provider?

The hearing healthcare marketplace has two barriers that prevent individuals from acquiring better hearing: 1.) The inability to detect hearing loss in the first place (owing to its gradual onset), and 2.) The temptation to find a quick, easy, and inexpensive remedy. Regrettably, countless people who have overcome the first barrier have been lured into the supposedly “cheaper and easier” methods of addressing their hearing loss, whether it be through the purchase of hearing aids on the web, the purchase of personal sound amplifiers, or by heading to the big box stores that are much more concerned with profitability than with patient care. In spite of the allure of these quick remedies, the fact is that local hearing care providers are your best bet for better hearing, and here are the reasons why.
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