Various professions expose workers to dangerous levels of noise, although this is not something that most people think about when they choose their various careers. Police officers, military members, construction workers, firefighters, musicians, factory workers, and a host of other professionals are subject to hazardous levels of noise on a regular basis. In addition, the noise can cause people to have poor productivity or lose their focus, which is dangerous in many professions. They may suffer from gradual hearing loss, or sudden hearing loss with particularly loud noises.

OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, mandates that a hearing protection program needs to be established in work environments where there are dangerous noise levels for the workers entire shift. The workplace must comply with the guidelines set by OSHA to ensure their workers' safety. It also can improve the morale of workers in addition to protecting their hearing. If you work in a field with loud equipment or sudden loud noises, you can take measures into your own hands to make sure that you do not suffer from hearing loss. You can find earplugs and ear muffs that can work to help reduce the noise and save your hearing.

Other problems can arise in the workplace as well, even in those areas where you might not necessarily consider loud noises. The office environment can be particularly dangerous for your hearing if you use headphones. You might think that they help to drown out the noise of the other workplace sounds, but when you listen too loudly, you could be doing some damage to your hearing. If your coworkers are able to hear the headphones from a few feet away, the volume is too loud. You can lower the volume and save your hearing while still being able to enjoy your music.

Regardless of the industry in which you work, you will want to make sure that you set up routine hearing exams with an audiologist. You may think that your hearing is fine, but when you track your hearing from visit to visit, the specialist will be able to determine if there is any gradual hearing loss. If you are in an accident or suffer from a head injury, it is important that you get your hearing checked as well.

If you find that you are having trouble hearing, visit your doctor right away. He or she can send you to a specialist in the problem should warrant it. The audiologist can make the determination about your hearing loss and go over your different options with you. You might need a cleaning to help remove a buildup of wax, or you might benefit from the use of a hearing aid. You can find a wide variety of hearing aids on the market today, from over the ear models to tiny devices that fit down inside of your ear canal. Many of them are barely noticeable, so you do not have to worry about the social stigma that some attribute to hearing aids.