Purchase earplugs the next time you are in a store that carries them. Once you have them in, consider how difficult life suddenly becomes because you aren't able to hear anything. Even something as simple as a conversation can be a strain. It is practically impossible to listen to the radio at a normal level, and there is no joy in watching television. You also won't notice anyone coming through your house. You will no longer be able to hear the closing of doors, the sound of timers going off, or the sound of air conditioners turning on. What you will be experiencing is auditory isolation. Luckily, most people can stop hearing loss from ever occurring. Basically there are two kinds of hearing loss. Conductive loss is defined as the situation where sounds are not reaching the inner ear, where they are interpreted. If you have sensoineural hearing loss, sound does reach your inner ear but the signal is altered or misinterpreted due to some type of damage to the inner ear fibers, the auditory nerve, or the brain. This type of hearing loss can cause tinnitus, which can be either a steady or intermittent buzzing or ringing sound. Many people find this annoying condition more bothersome than the hearing loss itself. To determine which type of hearing loss a person has, a doctor or audiologist will review your medical history and do specific tests. Hearing tests will comfim a diagnosis. There are several corrective actions that can be taken for conductive hearing loss, including the simple removal of wax from the ear canal, or the treatment can involve complex surgery for otosclerosis, which is a procedure involving the middle ear bones. Instances of sensorineural losses will require treatment ranging from digital hearing aids to cochlear implants. A rule of thumb for preventing hearing loss is that if the background noise is so loud you have to raise your voice in order for others to hear you, you must leave the area or use earplugs or headphones to protect your ears. A large number of baby boomers are now paying the price for the years spent enjoying loud rock and roll. Other individuals are experiencing the same hearing loss as a result of shooting guns as a child, or serving in the military and not using ear protection. Loud motors, machines, munitions, and music can cause permanent damage. It is a fact that by the age of 55, 22% of the population experiences hearing loss. Statistics also show that 33% of the people age 65 or older face loss as well. Fortunately, age-related hearing loss is not a condition that usually develops into total deafness. People experiencing a loss of hearing in a single ear may have an acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor which interferes with the auditory nerve. These slow-growing tumors can eventually cause total hearing loss and other medical problems, for which the only treatment is surgery. There are numerous people who suffer from various types of chronic ear infections, mumps, measles, scarlet fever and meningitis. These can all cause hearing loss and should be discussed with your doctor. Anything that is blocking the ear canal can interefere with the transmission of sound. This includes ear wax which is pushed deeper into the ear canal by people who aggressively clean their ears with cotton swabs. Gently wiping the ears with cotton swabs is acceptable. But if you are prone to a wax build-up, you should consult your doctor for suggestions. There are times that hearing loss is due to the hardening of the bones in the ear or extra fluid build-up from allergies and/or infections. There are certain medications, including antibiotics, malaria drugs, anti-arrhythmic drugs, and aspirin, which are known to cause effect on hearing if they reach toxic levels in the blood. You can also experience hearing loss from trauma. Various trauma, including holes poked in the eardrum, skull fractures, noise trauma from gunfire or fireworks, and pressure trauma from underwater diving or pressurized airplane cabins, are known to damage the hearing process. So it's a good idea to keep some earplugs handy and wear them when you find yourself in a loud environment. Your participation in the following activities may warrant the use of ear plugs: mowing the yard, using power tools, target practice and the like.
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The next time you make a trip into town, take the time to pick up some earplugs. When wearing them, you'll see, first hand, how hard everyday tasks become.
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