In recent times, when I was at my younger brother’s birthday party, my Dad made a indication to developing tinnitus (basically a low-level ringing in the ears) and I informed him that I’d made a gag about tinnitus in a recent article (for those interested, the gag was that it made things sound ‘a bit tinny’ – Not amongst my better japes, I admit, but whatever…). He looked at me like I’d just farted in church while I hastily changed the topic.

So, if you’re suffering from hearing damage or tinnitus, what is it possible to do about it?

The fact is hearing troubles are mostly caused by damage in the inner ear. A method this can happen is because of steady attack of noises over 110 decibels. According to new information, the sound wears away the myelin sheath, which is the coating that protects the nerve cells of your inner ear.

The good news is, yet, that the myelin sheath will, in most cases, repair itself, so all you need to do is TURN THE VOLUME DOWN or just leave your iPod in the home for a number of days and you need to start seeing improvements.

Now and then, though, damage to the inner ear is so large that the body merely will not manage to fix itself. In this case, you will need to train yourself to deal with your newfound disability. It’s a process that can cause serious melancholy and anxiety if not adequately confronted and dealt with.

The Beaumont Health System gives some useful tips for dealing with hearing loss on their internet site. As outlined by them, hearing loss may be combated if you follow these three steps:

1. Be an advocate for yourself. Others cannot guess what you need. By hiding a hearing loss you will miss conversation and may respond inappropriately and cause further miscommunication. Tell others if you are having difficulty understanding. If you don’t understand what someone has said ask him or her to rephrase the message, not just repeat it.  Often this will help improve your understanding.

2. Educate others regarding hearing loss. Many do not understand why you can hear that they are talking but cannot understand what you are saying. They also don’t know what they can do to help.  Ask others to talk more slowly and clearly and not to obstruct their mouths.

3. Manipulate your environment to your advantage.  Hearing clearly when there is background noise is probably the biggest challenge for people with hearing loss. When you can, choose quiet listening environments. In a restaurant, request to be seated in a quiet area away from the door and the kitchen. Partitions and low ceilings may be helpful to reduce noise. Also carpet and upholstery may help to reduce echo, which may help you to understand speech more clearly. Good lighting may also be helpful so that you can see the speaker’s face and gestures.

Another widespread (and fixable) trouble is the development of earwax. Which is simple enough to solve via usual use of the cotton bud. If that does not work, it is consistantly possible to get your ears syringed, which is a thoroughly disgusting (but genuinely effectual) method for defrayal out one’s ears. 

Your hearing will also degrade as you grow old (like most things you hold dear I am fearful, up to and featuring: your metabolism, sexual potency, muscle tone, skin, attractiveness and hair colour). Yup. Sucks getting old.

Finally, if you are going through serious hearing troubles, try to minimize any future damage. The way it says on WikiHow:

“Although you can’t reverse the hearing loss you’ve already suffered, you can take steps to keep it from getting worse. Reduce your exposure to loud, sustained noises[. If noisiness like this is part of your job (say you’re a construction worker or employed at a concert venue), consider wearing specialty ear plugs or changing jobs. If you wear earbuds or headphones to listen to music, keep the volume low or moderate. Try to reduce your exposure to high volumes overall, and you’ll reduce future hearing loss”.

It’s also recommended to see a doctor. I’m not a physician. I am a contract writer with access to Google. If you think that anything mentioned in the above piece affects you, then please make an appointment with the local Doctor.