7 ways to help protect your hearing

What did you say? Come again? There’s no question: having trouble hearing may make conversations and daily interactions more difficult.

In fact, 15% of people ages 18 and older have trouble hearing.¹ And the older you get, the more likely it is that you’ll have some degree of hearing loss. Hearing loss affects about a third of people ages 65 to 74 and nearly half of people ages 75 and older.¹

“Hearing loss is something that happens gradually,” says Bria Collins, Au.D. She’s a licensed audiologist and associate director of audiology practices with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). “It’s not at the top of our mind until it becomes a problem.”

While it’s not uncommon for adults to have some hearing loss, there are things you can do to protect your hearing — or stop hearing loss from getting more pronounced. 

Put these steps into place every day and you may be able to protect your hearing for the long term.

1. Protect your ears from loud noise

You know the boom of fireworks is loud. But everyday noises you encounter can also impact your hearing. Here are some common sources of loud noise:²

• Concerts
• Lawn equipment
• Listening to music through earbuds or headphones
• Movie theaters
• Power tools
• Sporting events

Loud noise causes the hair cells in the inner ear to become overworked. It may even cause those cells to die permanently. Membranes in the ear may become damaged too. Even a single exposure to very loud noise can cause damage to these cells and tissues. Long-term exposure, though, may cause even more permanent damage.³

Wearing hearing protection, such as earplugs, can help. You can find basic earplugs at a drugstore or get more advanced ones from a hearing care professional.⁴ With more people on social media wearing earplugs when out at concerts, there’s a push to make ear protection “cool,” says Collins.

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2. Try to keep your distance from loud sounds

It’s better for your ears, for example, to attend outdoor music events and stand away from the sound source and speakers, says Collins. “In larger outdoor spaces, sound scatters and is less harmful to your ears, compared to a small concert space,” she says.⁵

If you’re not sure if the volume is appropriate for your hearing, you can download a sound level meter on your smartphone.⁴ Anything over 70 decibels (decibels are how sound levels are measured) can potentially damage your hearing, depending on how long you’re listening to it. (Live concerts can have sound levels of 105 to 110 decibels, a level that could cause hearing loss in less than five minutes.)²

3. Skip the cotton swabs

The classic tool for digging out earwax is a cotton swab. It’s important to know that having some earwax is actually healthy for your ears. It helps protect the ear from foreign bodies and lubricates the ear canal, Collins says.

However, if your ear produces too much wax, it can cause hearing problems. The buildup of wax in your ear canal can muffle sounds.⁶ But you should never put a cotton swab into your ear to try to remove the wax. This can move the wax deeper into your ear and cause a plug. A cotton swab can also damage your eardrum.

Primary care physicians, ear, nose and throat doctors and some audiologists are qualified to remove excess wax.⁶

4. Give your ears a rest

If you’ve been in a noisy environment, take a break. Collins discourages doing multiple noisy things in a row.

For example, if you just mowed your lawn, try not to go indoors and watch a loud movie. If you’re listening to music or a podcast on earbuds, rest your ears for five to 15 minutes per hour, she advises. The World Health Organization suggests keeping your device at 60% of the maximum volume or less.⁷ You may be able to use the settings on your smartphone to set volume limits.

5. Wear hearing aids as prescribed

Wearing hearing aids may also help sharpen your hearing. If you do have hearing aids, one of the best ways to improve your hearing is to wear them every day. According to the National Council on Aging, nearly 29 million American adults need hearing aids, and just 16% of people between the ages of 20 and 69 who need hearing aids actually wear them.⁸

“The consistent use of hearing aids is important,” says Collins. “Your brain needs to learn sounds when heard through a hearing aid. You should wear your hearing aids as much as possible during your waking hours, so you can retrain your brain to understand what your ears hear.”

When you first get hearing aids, there might be an awkward adjustment period. But keep at it and your brain will start to make sense of the sounds it’s hearing. 

Did you know that AARP® members may be able to get a no-cost hearing exam and consultation? Learn more.

6. Take care of your health

Taking care of your body and your health can also help you hear clearly.

Diabetes, for example, can affect hearing. In fact, people who have diabetes are twice as likely to have hearing loss as those of the same age without diabetes, according to the CDC.⁹ When you have diabetes, it’s important to talk with your doctor about how to manage your blood sugar — for better health and hearing.

Smoking can also impact how well you hear. In fact, smoking is linked to a higher risk of hearing loss. The reasons: smoking is a source of inflammation, which may cause tissue damage throughout the body including in the ears. It’s also a source of chemicals that may damage different parts of the ear. What’s more, cigarette use impacts blood vessels, which may affect the flow of oxygen to your inner ear.^10,11,12

7. Get a hearing screening

If no matter what you do, you still need to turn up the TV volume or you have trouble understanding a friend while you’re out at a restaurant, you may benefit from getting your hearing screened.¹³

A hearing care professional can give you a full hearing exam. They can also develop a care plan to help improve your ability to hear clearly.  (You don’t need a referral to request a hearing exam and consultation through AARP® Hearing Solutions™ provided by UnitedHealthcare Hearing.)

Not sure if you need a hearing screening? Take a preliminary online hearing test. It may not give you official results, but it can help you decide whether to get a comprehensive exam and consultation.

Sources

1. Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Last updated March 23, 2023.
2. What causes noise-induced hearing loss Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated April 12, 2024.
3. Hearing loss: a common problem for older adults National Institute on Aging. Last reviewed January 19, 2023.
4. Hearing protectors National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Last updated October 21, 2022.
5. ASHA offers tips for ear care and hearing protection this summer American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Published May 30, 2023.
6. Earwax American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Accessed December 15, 2023.
7. Deafness and hearing loss: safe listening World Health Organization. Published February 23, 2022.
8. Only 1 in 6 Americans with hearing loss wears hearing aids — here’s why National Council on Aging. Published August 11, 2023.
9. Diabetes and hearing loss Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last reviewed May 27, 2022.
10. Association of cigarette smoking patterns over 30 years with audiometric hearing impairment and speech-in-noise perception: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. Published January 27, 2022.
11. Inflammation National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Last reviewed September 13, 2023.
12. Noise and occupational hearing loss Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last reviewed January 12, 2023.
13. How do I know if I have hearing loss caused by loud noise? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last reviewed August 24, 2021.

Information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed medical provider. Consult your provider prior to making changes to your lifestyle or health care routine.

The online hearing test is not intended to act as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Talk with your healthcare provider with any question about a medical condition.

AARP Hearing Solutions is available to all AARP members and does not require a health insurance plan from UnitedHealthcare. The AARP hearing program discount cannot be combined with any other discounts, promotions, coupons or hearing aid benefit plans unless noted herein. Products or services that are reimbursable by federal programs including Medicare and Medicaid are not available on a discounted or complimentary basis. AARP commercial member benefits are provided by third parties, not by AARP or its affiliates. Providers pay a royalty fee to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. Some provider offers are subject to change and may have restrictions. Please contact the provider directly for details. UnitedHealthcare Hearing is provided through UnitedHealthcare, offered to existing members of certain products underwritten or provided by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or its affiliates to provide specific hearing aid discounts. This is not an insurance nor managed care product, and fees or charges for services in excess of those defined in program materials are the member's responsibility. UnitedHealthcare does not endorse nor guarantee hearing aid products/services available through the hearing program. This program may not be available in all states or for all group sizes. Components subject to change.