| One may argue that all five sense - taste, touch, | | | | any time you experience headaches or discomfort as |
| smell, sight, and hearing - have equal importance in | | | | a result of working in such an environment, consult a |
| our lives, but it is certainly true that without the | | | | physician. |
| ability to hear we can miss out on so much. To be | | | | Limitation: In this age of portable phones and MP3 |
| able to enjoy a conversation with friends, experience | | | | players, it is not unusual to see people walking around |
| a movie or play, or listen a child's laughter is an | | | | with tiny earplugs in one or both ears. Indeed, the |
| incredible blessing for which we should all be thankful. | | | | use of ear buds and cell phone headsets help cuts |
| Sadly, there are instances where people lose the | | | | down noise pollution, but overuse of these items can |
| ability to hear due to illness, genetics, or injury. Some | | | | be damaging to your ears. Try to limit how often |
| cases of hearing loss simple cannot be helped, but | | | | you blast your favorite music into your ears, |
| there are times where hearing loss results by a | | | | especially if you want to continue listening to it in the |
| person's neglect of hearing health. Thankfully, these | | | | future. |
| situations can be prevented if one knows what steps | | | | Isolation: Every once in a while, whenever possible, |
| to take to prevent damage to the ears. | | | | give your ears a rest and seek out a quiet place for |
| If you wish to preserve your hearing ability for years | | | | meditation or relaxation. Listen to your body rather |
| to come, and wish to enjoy every sound and melody | | | | than the rest of the world. Read a book, do a |
| that comes into your life, here are a few suggestions | | | | crossword puzzle, and enjoy the silence. |
| to help you. | | | | By taking care of your hearing now, you can |
| Protection: Particularly if you work in areas of loud | | | | preserve this wonderful gift throughout your life and |
| volume, like construction or aviation, you want to be | | | | enhance your other four senses with a better |
| sure you are using effective ear covering at all times. | | | | appreciation for sound. |
| Work-related hearing loss is fairly common, and if at | | | | |