It’s Better Hearing and Speech month from the American Speech Language Hearing Association — a good time to gain awareness about communication disorders. Since everyone uses their devices or talks in noisy environments where they need to raise their voices, Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center offers information to help you understand the impact these scenarios have on your hearing and voice.
DR. LAURA BRADY FROM CLEVELAND HEARING & SPEECH CENTER PROVIDES SOME TIPS ON HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HEARING:
✱ Noise induced hearing loss is cumulative — think about the loudness of sound and how long you listen.
✱ Noise induced hearing loss is 100 percent preventable.
✱ Noise canceling earphones allow the listener to set the volume at a lower level.
✱ Many MP3 devices and phones have an internal volume limit that can be set by a parent or authority
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✱ Sound could be too loud if you have to raise your voice to speak to someone nearby.
✱ Children’s ears may be at greater risk due to the natural resonance of a child’s ear canals.
✱ When judging how loud a toy is, hold it close to your head as a child would hold it and try to talk to someone. If you have difficulty hearing the other person, the toy could be too loud.
✱ It’s not just rock ‘n roll and hip hop music…any sound, even classical music, can damage your hearing if it’s too loud.
✱ Some people’s hearing is more fragile and more likely to be damaged from loud sound, but we don’t know who that is ahead of time.
✱ We all have portable ear plugs — push the little flap (called the tragus) in front of your ear canal backwards to “close” the ear canal.
✱ Even though there is no blood or bruises, if your ears “ring” or your hearing seems muffled after being exposed to loud sound, it is your body’s way of saying that was too much.
✱ If you or your child is using earbuds and someone can hear the music from “arm’s reach” (about 3 feet away), it is too loud.
YOUR VOICE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AND CONSISTENTLY STRAINING IT ISN’T GOOD FOR YOUR BODY. MAGGIE CIFRA, SENIOR SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST AND COORDINATOR OF ADULT SERVICES PROVIDES 10 WAYS TO LIMIT AND REST YOUR VOCAL CORDS:
➊ Try not to shout or scream.
➋ Decrease your volume — try not to repeatedly yell over others in noisy environments (e.g., restaurants, sporting events or other crowded locations).
➌ Try to eliminate background noise when talking.
➍ If you overuse your voice, take time for vocal rest by drinking lots of fluids and decreasing the amount of talking you do that day.
➎ When possible, use an amplification device or microphone when speaking in front of groups for long periods of time.
➏ Drink water to keep your vocal cords hydrated and healthy. If your vocal cords are dehydrated, they are more easily damaged and do not perform as well.
➐ Avoid clearing your throat or coughing repeatedly.
➑ Avoid excessive use of alcohol, caffeine and tobacco.
➒ Warm up your voice before talking for a long period of time. Practice saying a sound such as “ah” going from low to high pitch and high to low pitch.
➓ Use good breath support. Try to breathe naturally and avoid holding your breath while speaking.
Visit chsc.org for more information.
