It is well-known that too much noise can be detrimental to your hearing, but you might not be aware of just how fragile your hearing is, nor how essential it is to have proper protection. In many cases of hearing damage, the work place is the culprit, especially in the industrial sector, where machine noises are prevalent.

Even your lawnmower or an animated conversation (where voices rise to be overheard) can damage your hearing. There exists a simple and efficient solution to counter these threats, though: customized noise-cancelling earplugs.

Just like adults, baby ears produce cerumen (earwax). That is why you should make sure to clean the outer ear on occasion for aesthetic reasons. But how can you do it safely? Here are a few tips to clean out earwax in infants.

Protect the eardrum

The ear canal of babies and infants is much shorter than in adults. Therefore, you should never use cotton swabs (i.e. Q-tips). These tools are dangerous for various reasons: they tend to push the earwax in, rather than bring it out (which could create blockages) and could even pierce your baby’s eardrum. Do not use adult-sized cotton swabs and never let your baby play with them.

Hearing problems or hearing losses are synonymous with a handicap. They can happen suddenly or from the slow and natural onset of sensory degradation. Those who suffer from hearing loss have the tendency to fold back upon themselves because exchanging information becomes such a challenge. The use and purchase of a hearing aid should be considered as soon as possible to avoid undue and permanent stress, anxiety and sadness.

Hearing Aids

There are all kinds of hearing aids; the choice of a specific type requires a complete hearing exam with a professional hearing aid acoustician. Such devices help to improve hearing and can vary greatly depending on hearing needs, desired appearance and budget.

When we think about hearing problems, we first imagine how difficult a face-to-face conversation can be. But hearing loss also impedes our phone conversations and our quieter, relaxing moments in front of the TV. Hearing amplifiers are the solution to this problem, enabling their wearer to rediscover the fun of properly listening to music or watching TV.

Amplified Phone System

On top of face-to-face conversation, those who suffer from hearing loss can also be uncomfortable with making or answering phone calls, fearing that they may not understand the person on the other end of the line. Thankfully, different phone systems exist to amplify sound signals by 40 dB in order to greatly improve listening comprehension.

As workers, we face various situations in which our ears must deal with stimuli that could deteriorate our hearing performance. It is important to understand that hearing is a fragile thing and that we must take the necessary precautions to avoid damaging it. If your noise-related hearing loss fits specific criteria, it can be considered an occupational disease.

What are the risk factors?

The main cause of hearing loss is noise. For this reason, it becomes rather obvious that everyone runs the risk of developing occupational hearing loss. Some professions, however, are far more at risk.

Deafness is both a physical handicap and a social one. Many factors can lead to hearing loss or deafness. That said, various solutions exist for those who suffer from a hearing handicap. Depending on the hearing deficit's degree of intensity, various devices can reduce discomfort. Note that if you're suffering from unilateral hearing loss, the conditions described hereafter can vary. Several factors can damage your hearing. Some will experience problems at an earlier age, and will therefore develop other related problems.

Normal Hearing

Hearing is considered "normal" if hearing tests demonstrate a hearing loss of less than 20 decibels.

Some professions and trades require working in noisy environments, usually because of loud equipment. These professions are much more likely to cause hearing problems and will typically lead to the use of hearing aids.

Musicians are often subject to hearing problems

Music may be a very pleasant sound, but professional musicians (conductors, guitarists, DJs, etc.) are regularly exposed to loud, recurring and prolonged music. Recent studies have concluded that musicians run a risk of tinnitus that is four times greater than the average person, as well as an increased risk of premature hearing loss.