According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, half of people age 75 and older have trouble hearing.
Although age-related hearing loss is a common punchline in comedy sitcoms, hearing issues can become a serious problem. And just because it might be seen as a normal part of aging, it still deserves attention as part of your health and wellness.
Without healthy hearing, you might miss a doorbell or a phone call – and worse yet, a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector. Hearing loss can also lead to feelings of isolation if you have trouble understanding what friends and family are saying.
Many factors can contribute to hearing loss and other age-related hearing changes. For example, some people may hear ringing sounds or buzzing, humming, whooshing, or crackling in their ears. These sounds can interfere with the ability to hear if they are severe enough.
Luckily, there are some actions you can take to support your ear health at any age.
How can I know if I have a hearing problem?
You might not notice if you have a hearing issue at first.
Here are some questions to consider:
- Do you feel frustrated when talking to other people because you have difficulty hearing them?
- Do you have difficulty hearing when visiting friends or relatives?
- Do you feel limited or find yourself missing out on certain activities because of a hearing problem?
- Do other people suggest you may have a hearing problem?
- Do you frequently need to turn up the volume on the TV or radio?
If you said yes to any of these or several of them, this is a good indicator that you may need to speak to your doctor about ear health and hearing.
How to support ear health
Right now, scientists do not know how to stop age-related hearing loss. However, you can be proactive about ear health in many ways.
Avoid loud noises. Steer clear of loud noises such as loud music, firearms, lawnmowers, and more.
Give your ears recovery time. If you do have to hear loud noises, such as when you go to a concert, give your ears time to recover. The American Academy of Family Physicians suggests spending 16 hours in silence to recover from a noisy evening.
Wear protective gear. You can also wear protective ear muffs or earplugs to block your ears from loud noises. This will also help limit ringing in your ears after exposure.
Turn down the volume. If you listen to music frequently, especially while wearing headphones, avoid turning the volume up too high.
Keep your ears dry. Wipe your ears dry after swimming or bathing if you get water in them.
Exercise. Yup, exercise is even good for your ears! Cardio exercise helps get your blood pumping to your ears, which helps the internal parts stay healthy.
Support ear health with supplements. There are some nutrients that can help support ear health, such as Puritan’s Pride® Ear Health Complex with Ginkgo Biloba.*
Specially designed to support ear health, our unique formula contains the herb Ginkgo biloba with antioxidants and essential nutrients. This includes choline, which is involved in cellular and nerve health.*
Ginkgo biloba can aid in blood flow to the ear, which in turn can help with occasional ringing in the ears.*
Meanwhile, choline is considered a B factor related to the B-Complex and is critical for the optimal functioning of cells.*
Furthermore, this supplement includes Vitamin C and Zinc – two potent antioxidants that help fight the effects of free radicals, which can cause oxidative stress that may damage cells.* It also includes Vitamins B6 and B12, which are important for nervous system health.* If you’re looking for additional support for your ears, our Ear Health Complex could be the right choice for you.*
Another supplement that supports ear health is Nutritional Concepts Tinnicare™ Bioflavonoid Auditory Formula. Tinnicare™ is specially formulated to include bioflavonoids. Bioflavonoids' antioxidant activity may help to maintain strength and flexibility of capillaries and support for good circulation.*
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