The ability to hear is precious. When you can hear well, you can connect to friends and family, whether you're in the same room or thousands of miles apart. You can go see a movie, watch a show, check out the latest video, all without struggling to understand what's being said.

To continue enjoying all these things, it is important to protect your hearing, and here are eight tricks to help you do so:

#1 Wear Hearing Protection

Overexposure to loud noise is the leading cause of hearing loss. If you work in a factory, enjoy motorsports, or listen to loud music, wear hearing protection. 

#2 Noise Reduction Technology

If you have hearing aids, they likely have a setting that reduces uncomfortable noise. Some hearing aids automatically compensate for loud environments and even sudden bangs.

#3 Watch Your Diet

Everything in your body is connected. While a healthy diet will help you stave off maladies like diabetes and heart disease, it will also help your hearing remain healthy.

#4 Watch Your Medication

Many medications, from simple pain relievers to life-saving cancer treatments, can be toxic for your ears. Be aware of your medication's side effects.

#5 Avoid Sudden Pressure

We normally think of loud bangs in terms of sound, and water in terms of wetness, but they may introduce sudden, harmful pressure that pushes in on and damages your eardrums. Whether you enjoy launching fireworks, shooting guns or scuba diving, the changes in air or water pressure can result in hearing loss.

#6 Avoid Straining

Excessive physical strain can cause damage aside from muscle or skeletal strain. The sudden build-up of pressure inside your ears can push out on your eardrums, which can damage your hearing from the inside out.

#7 Avoid Q-Tips

Don't put anything in your ear canal for any reason, as this can easily injure your eardrum. If you need your ears cleaned, have them cleaned professionally to avoid any damage.

#8 Be Proactive

On the opposite side of the "protection" coin are exercises, such as focused listening, singing, and listening to quiet music that can enhance your cognitive abilities and your hearing.

Wearing hearing protection is the best way to avoid exposure to damaging noise, and you can wear hearing protection even if you have hearing aids. Feel free to give us a call to learn more about our state-of-the-art hearing protection technology.