IT’S HARD TO LISTEN WHEN YOU CAN’T HEAR

What was that? If you frequently miss what people are saying or find yourself turning up the TV volume, you could be one of the 48 million American adults with some hearing loss.

What’s wrecking our hearing? Many of the chronic health conditions we develop as we age, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, can slow blood flow to the ears and impair hearing. And treating those conditions can be harmful too. More than 200 prescription or over-the-counter medications—loop diuretics, antibiotics, even aspirin—can damage the inner ear. Ask your doctor if your meds can harm your hearing.

And it’s not just older folks who need to be careful. The NIH found that 30 percent more teens have noise-

induced hearing loss today than teens did ten years ago, thanks to loud music played on earbuds or headphones.

“The smartest thing we can do to protect our ears is to avoid exposure to loud noise,” explains Cincinnati audiologist Laurie Dewine. “Listening to loud music on an ipod or using a lawn mower or snowblower can damage your ears over time.”

How can you tell when sounds are loud enough to be harmful? A free app such as Soundcheck or Decibel Meter can turn your smartphone into a sound meter that shows when you’re in the danger zone. “You may be surprised at how much you’re exposed to,” says Dewine. “I was shocked when music played at church was in the ‘need protection’ range.”

Wearing earplugs or noise-canceling headphones will protect your ears during noisy tasks such as using a snowblower or vacuum cleaner. Keeping the volume on low when watching TV or listening to music helps too.