Category Archives: Health

Going Healthy, Health, Life

5 Signs That You Might Have Hearing Loss

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Hearing loss is one of the most difficult conditions to self-diagnose because it happens so gradually, and you usually don’t notice it even happening until you take a test. As a result, it can be challenging to identify hearing loss, and leaving it too late can result in some huge problems in the future. So to help you learn more about the condition, we’ve put together a couple of signs that will tell you that you might have hearing loss.

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1. You find it difficult to make out sounds in a crowd

One of the most common symptoms that one faces with hearing loss is being unable to distinguish people speaking in a crowd. When there are lots of sounds around you, it’s difficult to identify a specific sound or person speaking because your ears are having difficulty processing all the noises. This will result in muffled speech and can be incredibly frustrating to experience.

2. You usually ask people to repeat themselves or speak louder

If you find yourself asking people to repeat themselves fairly often, then it might be a sign that your hearing is already suffering. We highly suggest that you learn more about hearing loss and available solutions to help you recover from this as it can cause future problems if it’s not dealt with correctly. It can quickly lead to withdrawal from social settings and may make communication in your workplace difficult.

3. You feel tired after participating in conversations

If you find yourself straining to listen to conversations and follow with what someone is saying, then you might be suffering from hearing loss. As this can negatively affect your lifestyle, it’s a good idea to book yourself a hearing examination before it can cause issues in your life.

4. You have trouble listening to children and women

Hearing loss typically affects certain frequencies. In most cases, it tends to happen at higher frequencies, meaning you’ll have trouble hearing women and children. If you find this to be true, it’s worth having a hearing examination to see if you actually have hearing loss.

5. Someone else is commenting on your hearing

While it might sound like a bit of banter or a joke, you should really pay attention to other people, especially friends and family members, when they mention that your hearing might be weaker than before. A couple of key signs of this include making the TV too loud for others or even failing to hear the doorbell occasionally. These are all fairly clear signs that you might actually be facing gradual hearing loss, so it’s always good to take those comments seriously and consider having a hearing exam to ensure it’s in top condition.

If you’ve noticed any of these signs, it’s a good idea to learn more about hearing loss and also consider an appointment with your physician or an audiologist. It’s possible that another condition, such as an ear infection or clogged earwax, could be causing your hearing loss. If that’s the case, then it’s possible to treat your hearing loss if you let your physician know as soon as possible.

Going Healthy, Health

Keeping Your Hearing In Tip Top Condition

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Let’s face it; our ears are incredibly important. Those who struggle with their hearing will bear witness to this. Without the sounds penetrating our brains, we will function much more slowly and less efficiently than usual. It is something that most of us without a hearing impairment take for granted, so we only tend to do something when a problem comes up, and sometimes, that can be when it is too late.

See, that is the thing about our hearing. It generally is not something that can be completely resolved if something goes wrong. Once you have done significant harm, it may be the end of full use for one of your primary senses. That is why people need to be diligent to make sure their ears are kept safe to maintain their health for many years to come. Here, we look at some of the ways in which you can look after your ears and hearing.

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Keep away from loud noise

This is pretty obvious, but important nevertheless. Loud noise is never going to be good for your ears, so avoid it as much as possible. Sure, we all like to have the occasional song on a bit louder, but be sensible. If it hurts your ears, it is probably hurting your hearing. Stay away from loud bangs and crashes that will damage your hearing in both the short and long term, and where possible, wear ear defenders if you have to work around noisy machinery or equipment.

Visit a hearing specialist

A hearing specialist, or an audiologist, will be able to give you advice on your ears and how to prevent further damage to your hearing. If you already have a hearing impairment, they will be able to discuss things like hearing aids and help you to learn more about how to manage them. 

Treat any illness or infections appropriately

Damage to our hearing is not always caused by loud noises. Sometimes, illness and infection can cause both short term and long term problems with our ears which can affect our hearing. Sometimes, it can be easier to allow our bodies to fight infection and for it all to blow over by itself, but other times, further action is required to protect all aspects of our health. If you are unwell and are worried that it may affect your ears, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible and find out what they suggest as to the most appropriate form of treatment.

Don’t put anything into your ear

The general rule of thumb is not to put anything smaller than your elbow into your ear. It can be tempting to want to clean or scratch your ears with an earbud or q-tip, but this can push any was further down into the inner ear and compact it. To clean your ears, wipe a damp flannel around the outside of your ear. If you are having issues with ear wax, talk to your doctor or audiologist, or purchase some ear wax softener, which will remove it safely.

Going Healthy, Health, Life, Lifestyle

How to Make Your Days Off Count

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We all lead incredibly busy lives, and sometimes it can feel like you never get a proper, full day off, especially if you are a parent. Even when they do happen, once in a blue moon, it’s so easy to feel like you’ve wasted them – sleeping in, rushing around doing chores, eating rubbish food because you haven’t had time to cook – and before you know it, you’re waking up on Monday morning feeling even more tired than before.

When these amazing days arrive, perhaps when the children are at the grandparents, or away with school, and you are off work – whether that is a weekend, or you work different days – it’s important to know you’re making the most of your valuable time. Follow these simple steps to help yourself feel rested, rejuvenated, and like you’ll never let your day off slip through your fingers again.

Getting Up

Sleeping in is undoubtedly one of the best aspects of a day off. However, it’s very important not to take this too far, or you risk not only wasting your day, but also damaging your sleep patterns for the next week. Scientists recommend adults have between 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Any more than this can actually be almost as bad as not getting enough sleep, as it can cause increased feelings of fatigue and even depression.

A nice compromise is to limit your lie-in to an extra hour (two at the most) – and perhaps even keep your alarm, but use the extra time to doze or read in bed before starting your day. If you’re really struggling to get up on those days off, a great incentive is to promise yourself an extra-special breakfast. Nothing tends to get people out of bed better than pancakes…

Activities

Now, your perfect idea of a day off might be to do absolutely nothing all day – and that’s completely fine! However, the idea that idle hands are the devil’s tools definitely has some truth to it. A day will always feel longer and more worthwhile if you have at least one activity planned. This can be as simple as a walk, a coffee or drink with friends – even just a craft activity at home, or finishing that book you’ve been meaning to get through. Something as small as this can give you a great sense of accomplishment, and actually help your mind relax even more than just sitting in front of the television.

Lunch and Dinner

Here is where your day off can really give you an opportunity to treat yourself. You don’t have to be eating meal-prepped dinners, or stuffing yourself with anything you can find between work and other commitments. Cooking can be an incredibly soothing and de-stressing activity for a day off, without you having to worry about time or complexity. It is now even being used as a therapy technique for people suffering from stress and anxiety, which just shows how valuable it can be. Perhaps try out some gourmet dishes you haven’t made before, or even invent your own meals without any pressure or expectation – and then you get to eat some delicious food afterwards, which is always a bonus. 

Relaxing

Here we get to the most important part of your day off: sheer relaxation. You have so many options here, so don’t always fall into the Netflix trap whilst the hours pass you by. Reading a book, playing a video game, or even choosing a specific film rather than a TV series are all brilliant options. A top tip is to do any of these things under a weighted blanket. Now, many people might think these are purely for bedtime, and why use a weighted blanket if you’re not trying to sleep? There are so many benefits to spending your relaxation time under a top-notch blanket – they are proven to reduce stress and help you feel secure, which will maximize your chill-out time as much as possible.

A Good Night’s Sleep

This might seem obvious, but the worst thing you can possibly do after a wonderful day off would be to stay up until the early hours, and wake up the next morning feeling exhausted. It might be tempting to make the day last as long as possible, but getting that good night’s sleep at the end of your day off is the best way to really make it count. Encourage relaxation with an appropriate CBD oil and then, try to get an early night. If this is difficult, try banning technology from your bedroom – or if that’s not possible, have a look at blue light filters for your devices so you can give your eyes the break they deserve.

Following all these tips will help you relax in the most productive way possible, and feel like you’ve made the most of those rare, wonderful days off.