Being hard of hearing might not be something you think will ever happen to you. But according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), hearing loss affects 41.7% of people over the age of 50 in the UK, and 71.1% of people over 70.

And it’s estimated that by 2035, a fifth of the UK’s population will be affected by hearing loss.

Being unable to hear effectively can make socialising difficult, and in some cases can lead to isolation, communication problems, and loss of independence.

The good news is, there are steps you can take early on to protect your ears and hearing. There is also an increasing collection of hearing technology, such as hearing aids and cochlear implants, which can help if you’re already struggling with hearing loss.

Read on to discover more.

Our ears are intricate and can be easily damaged or prone to wear and tear

The composition of our ears is complex, with several parts, including the middle, outer and inner ear. Each of these has its own components, too.

  • The outer ear houses the ear canal and the eardrum, which separates the outer and middle ear.
  • The middle ear is also made up of the eardrum, as well as small bones which send vibrations to the inner ear.
  • The inner ear is made up of the organ for hearing, known as the cochlea, semicircular canals that aid balance, the auditory nerve, which sends information from the ear to the brain, and the auditory pathway, which processes sound information as it travels from the ear to the brain.

As you can see, it’s a clever, complex, and complicated system, and damage to any of these areas can result in hearing loss.

There are three main types of hearing loss:

1. Sensorineural

This happens when the hair cells or hearing nerve in the inner ear are damaged. This makes it harder to hear quiet or muffled sounds, reducing sound quality overall. It’s permanent hearing loss, but you can often treat it using hearing aids.

2. Conductive

This occurs when there’s an obstruction, such as earwax or an ear infection, which stops sounds from passing to the cochlea. It can be either temporary or permanent.

3. Mixed

This is a combination of both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.

Ageing can bring on hearing loss, which can often be managed using hearing aids

Ageing causes changes to the inner ear, and this is the most common cause of hearing loss. It’s generally caused by wear and tear, which happens gradually over time.

You might start to notice you’re asking people to repeat things, everyone sounds like they’re mumbling, you find it hard to keep up with conversations, especially in busy environments, and people comment on how loud your television is.

While there’s no way to restore lost hearing, hearing aids can often make a significant difference.

Genetic changes can also cause hearing loss and deafness. The first port of call for support is your GP, who may refer you for genetic counselling.

Loud noises can damage your hearing, so try to protect your ears in noisy environments

Exposure to loud noises is the second most common cause of hearing loss. And you might not notice any problems until years later, so the more you can protect your ears early on, the better.

Loud music through headphones is one of the more modern culprits, but busy, noisy workplaces such as warehouses or building sites can also contribute. You might start to notice you struggle to hear higher-pitched sounds, or those at lower pitches. It might also start to become difficult to follow conversations if there’s a lot of background noise.

There are steps you can take to protect your hearing from loud noises, which we’ll cover shortly. Again, once hearing loss sets in, there’s no way to reverse it, but you can use hearing aids.

7 tips for keeping your ears healthy and protecting your hearing

While some hearing loss can’t be prevented, in other cases, there are steps you can take to look after your ears. Early intervention can lead to better outcomes in later life. Here are seven suggestions for keeping your ears healthy and protecting your hearing.

1. Wear earplugs in noisy environments

According to the Guardian, more than a billion young people are at risk from noise-related hearing loss, due to use of headphones and earbuds, and attending loud music venues.

Earplugs can help. They won’t block out the noise entirely, so if you’re at a gig or a concert, you’ll still be able to hear. But they do reduce the volume and help to protect your ears. If you’re walking away from a venue or event with ringing in your ears, you’ve been exposed to excessive noise.

If you struggle with ear problems, you could also wear earplugs when you’re swimming, especially in open water, which is not treated in the same way as a swimming pool.

2. Limit your headphone use

Wireless earbuds are a great invention, but they can also be glued to our ears for a long time. Try to limit how long you wear headphones for and keep the volume as low as you can. Some smartphones have built-in volume limits and can alert you if you’ve gone above the recommended noise levels.

3. Have your hearing tested

A hearing test is a sensible place to start if you’re concerned about your hearing. You can have this done by an audiologist, or there are fairly simple tests you can do at home. The RNID site has an online test you can do, and if any evidence of hearing loss comes up, you can then speak to your doctor.

4. Avoid cotton buds

Your ears are very good at cleaning and drying themselves, and you can damage the delicate areas when you poke cotton buds into your ears. While we might think of earwax as unpleasant, it can actually help protect our ears. It tends to be self-limiting and finds its own way out.

5. Get help if you experience sudden hearing loss

Sudden hearing loss could be caused by an ear infection or inflammation, which could be treated with steroids. If you find you’re getting a lot of ear infections, you could ask your GP to refer you to an ENT specialist.

6. Use a hearing aid

It can sometimes be a question of pride to think that you don’t need a hearing aid. But if you’ve been advised to get one, it can make a world of difference. Modern hearing aids are discreet, even invisible, so most people won’t even be aware you have one in.

7. Try to treat tinnitus

Known for the ringing or buzzing in your ears, tinnitus can be incredibly frustrating. It can be caused by problems with your jaw, teeth, or tense neck muscles, so you could speak to your dentist or your GP. Hearing aids can also help with tinnitus.

A good old-fashioned glass of water can help sometimes, too. Dehydration, especially overnight, can affect the ears, so plenty of liquid in the mornings can offset this.

Get in touch

While we can’t help you with hearing loss, we can help you to protect your wealth. Email hello@intelligentpensions.com or call 0800 077 8807.

Please note

This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.