The two signs your music is ‘aging’ your hearing

You probably think you’re too young to have a hearing problem, right?

Maybe not.

Everyday lifestyle habits — such as plugging in your earbuds and rocking out to you new downloads — can “age” your ears prematurely.

Here are the two simple ways to know whether you’re potentially doing damage to your ears:

1) If you’ve got your earbuds in and other people can hear your music, and even identify the artist and the song, “it’s too loud,” says Dr. Alison Grimes, director of the UCLA Audiology Clinic.

2) “Take your headphones off: Do you hear ringing in your ears? Do they feel plugged up? These are signs of cellular damage,” Grimes said.

And repeated cellular damage could impair your hearing permanently.

Take steps to lower the volume and protect your hearing now — and keep it sharp for decades to come.

If you think you may already suffer from hearing damage, don’t panic. But do consider making an appointment to speak to an expert and investing in some ear plugs before your next concert.

Eating more fish may also help.

A study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found that women who eat fish twice a week can experience better hearing, possibly because long-chain Omega-3s in fish boost blood flow to the auditory portion of your inner ear. A Swedish study also found men who regularly eat fish also enjoyed a similar hearing boost.

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health@latimes.com