Music is a huge source of comfort and joy for countless numbers of people around the world. It can make your bad days better, help ease your stormy moods, and bring you closer to your friends and your emotions. But if you don’t take care to listen properly, it could harm you!
Music is sometimes referred to as the universal language, but anything, when listened to or spoken too loud, can result in hearing damage. If you’ve been to a concert, you’ve probably experienced what music veterans call “concert ear,” which is characterized most commonly by a ringing sound and a fuzzy, far away effect to everything you hear. This can last anywhere from a few hours to almost two days after attending a concert without proper hearing protection.
Most people refuse to wear any sort of ear plugs when attending concerts, but any musician will tell you that without protection, you risk serious damage to your hearing. In the last 15 years, the number of individuals in the United States alone who are suffering from hearing loss has nearly doubled. No matter the cause, seeking immediate help for hearing loss is crucial to its treatment.
Most people avoid seeking out help for hearing loss, as if the prospect of hearing aids is the only solution to the issue. For many people, further hearing loss can be prevented by using proper protection for your ears in the future. Tinnitus is a common hearing disorder, and can be treated with a simple ear cleaning, if excess wax and hair is the problem. The important thing to remember is you won’t know the cause of the problem until you actively seek out help.
Custom hearing protection is available, and can help vastly in the mission to save your hearing. However, in the case that you’re past the point of simple protection, hearing aids are generally the best route to go. Most digital hearing aids are so small that they’re barely noticeable when being worn. Hearing loss is nothing to be ashamed of, and seeking help is even less so. Don’t let hearing loss prevent you from enjoying your life and all of the sounds it has to offer.