Herbert Silverstein, MD, FACS, founder and president of the internationally acclaimed Silverstein Institute and Ear Research Foundation in Sarasota, FL, offers five natural, simple steps to protect and save your hearing.
1.Wear earplugs when exposed to loud noise.
Cheap foam plugs will work, but it’s better to invest in higher-fidelity personal earplugs (musicians ear plugs), which reduce volume without cutting out the high end.
2. Get better headphones,
such as in-ear phones or those that cover the entire ear.
3. Give your ears a rest.
Put some space between events that create a lot of noise. Your ears need about 18 hours after exposure to sustained high volumes before they return to normal. If there is stuffiness in the ears or ringing in the ears after noise exposure, temporary or permanent damage may have occurred.
4. Don’t crank up the portable music player
(iPod or MP3 player, for example) to compensate for other noise around you.
5. Quit smoking.
“Few people realize this, but smoking doubles the risk of noise induced hearing loss,” he said. Dr. Silverstein cites examples of people losing their hearing who were overweight, sedentary and who took no supplements. He recommends a multivitamin, antioxidant , anti-aging formula that includes patented supplements and essential fatty acids, combined with a healthy diet and 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day.
The Silverstein Institute’s approach to arresting hearing loss and tinnitus by maintaining good health habits is simple, safe and natural.
For more information about ear health, call us at 941-365-0367.
