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It's a lot easier to develop hearing problems than many people think. That's because you don't often notice the damage until many years later. By then, all the permanent damage may be done already. Just because you may not have had the best habits in the past doesn't mean that you can't start changing things now. There are many things you can start doing today that will be beneficial in both the short term and the long run.

The first thing that many people should do is have a professional perform a hearing test on them. It would be a harmless non-invasive procedure that would accurately gauge the current state of your hearing in an objective way. Some people just don't know how bad they have it because they can't compare the functionality of their ears with other people, at least not easily. People may discover that they have issues that they didn't know they had and they can start wearing the right equipment to bring it back in line.

Should the test show no signs of any hearing issues, it would then be time to start implementing preventative measures. This basically means limiting exposure to intense sound waves, and possibly eliminating them from your life altogether if that's feasible. One of the best places to start is with your mp3 player. It could actually be the most dangerous device for your ear that you own. This is mainly due to the popularity of in-ear headphones. These type of headphones are placed directly into the ear canal and are constructed so as to block as much outside noise out as possible. Unfortunately, most people find it all too easy to crank up the volume to literally deafening levels. In-ear headphone amplify any potential damage because they are closer to the ear and more focused in their sound delivery. The worst part about this source of damage is that many people may not even notice that what they're doing is risky because they'll be so engrossed in the music. The best way to avoid this kind of damage is to always be mindful of the volume level and try to keep it to a minimum.

Similarly, if people like to go to concerts and dance venues a lot, they could be exposing their ears to damaging sources. This is especially true when people place themselves right next to the large concert speakers. At such a short distance, they may even literally feel the sound coming from the speakers throughout their body, which is just a hint of the damage that could be occurring to delicate tissues inside their ears. The best way to avoid this kind of damage is to stay away from the big speakers and minimize such outings.

Many people have jobs that can be a daily source for hearing damage. For example, industrial workers could be surrounded by loud noise all day long. Unfortunately, it may be impossible to get completely away from these kinds of sources. The best thing you can do is wear the appropriate ear protection at all times.