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Want to learn about the latest innovations in occupational Hearing Conservation that show results?

How will impending changes to the Noise Reduction Rating impact your Hearing Conservation Program?

When you comment at the end of difficult day that you’re “stressed out,” did you ever stop to think what that really means?

Medications are often necessary for the prevention of debilitating conditions, to fight infection and disease, or to help us maintain properly balanced body chemistry. Despite the remarkable benefits of modern pharmaceuticals, there is always the risk of undesired side effects. When dosage is properly controlled, side effects are usually minimal or at least manageable.

When earplugs and an earmuff are used together simultaneously, we call this “dual protection” or “double protection.” Dual protection is often the only available method to achieve maximum protection from hazardous noise. Using earplugs and earmuffs concurrently seriously isolates the wearer, so it is warranted only in extreme noise levels.

On Saturday 3 March, the World Health Organization observes its International Day for Ear and Hearing. This day aims to raise awareness about hearing loss and prevention through community-based actions.

So far in this series, we’ve discussed how a diet rich in antioxidants can minimize or prevent toxic oxidative stress, and how oxidative stress leads to hearing loss through apoptosis. Now, we’ll concern ourselves with another way apoptosis and hearing damage may occur, and the devastating role noise exposure plays in this scenario.

A respirator isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about hearing protection.

In Part 1 of this series we discussed the benefits of antioxidants in general and the role they play in protecting hearing in particular. So, what is it, exactly, that antioxidants are preventing? Oxidation, as the name implies, of course.

If you’re like most of us, you made some New Year’s resolutions this year. You may well have resolved to eat better and exercise more. Now, after a month into 2012, how are those resolutions working out for you?

You know, Mom got some things right—all those reminders about an apple a day and carrots being good for your vision? Turns out they’re true! But I’ll bet you that Mom didn’t know that blueberries could help prevent hearing loss! And that’s only part of the story.

One of the most frequently asked questions during our seminars and in our VeriPRO presentations is about occupational Hearing Conservation for workers with an existing hearing loss.

Yes, even workers with a hearing impairment are required to be covered by your company’s hearing conservation program. It is important to still protect and preserve whatever hearing those workers do have.

The challenge is that there is no one single solution for all hearing-impaired workers. Each case must be managed with personal attention to the needs of that worker. 

After years of earplug fitting, I've recently come to the realization that each ear can benefit from individual fitting instruction. Ear canals are different enough that we need to not only determine which earplug(s) work well in that ear but that how the earplug is inserted makes a huge difference in the effectiveness of the protection.