As a gardener, I create my own compost to ensure my garden is productive. When composting, we put our food scraps and yard waste into a container and allow organisms to break down the material until it becomes nutrient-rich fertilizer. We then add the compost to our existing soil. This practice has consistently proven effective for us to grow healthy and productive plants.

Sometimes with this type of composting, seeds from food scraps survive the process and end up germinating in the garden. These “compost volunteers” can be a benefit for some gardeners or a nuisance for others. When these volunteers sprout, some gardeners will immediately pull them out, some will let them grow to maturity, and others will wait and see what kind of plant it is before deciding to remove it or let it grow. For many things in life, wait and see is an appropriate course of action. When it comes to hearing loss, wait and see is not typically a wise thing.

Generally speaking, hearing should be monitored and hearing loss should be treated sooner rather than later. Playing “wait and see” instead of treating hearing loss can lead to decreased word recognition, deterioration of ability to hear in noise, and even dementia. Research has overwhelmingly shown the long-term health benefits of treating hearing loss early. Doing so leads to better overall health later in life.

Sudden-onset hearing loss should always be checked immediately. Some causes of sudden-onset hearing loss are temporary and reversible, such as wax impaction. Fluid in the middle ear can be temporary and resolve on its own or with treatment, but fluid that remains in the middle ear for an extended period can cause permanent middle ear damage and hearing loss. An attack of the inner ear can quickly lead to permanent complete hearing loss. Immediate treatment (preferably within the first 24 to 48 hours) is required to reverse this type of hearing loss. The longer treatment is delayed, the less likely recovery will occur.

When hearing suddenly diminishes or disappears, especially in only one ear, an immediate examination of the ear is needed to determine if it is an easily treated problem or if it requires an emergency appointment with an ENT (ear-nose and throat specialist or otolaryngologist). Never wait to be checked for sudden onset hearing loss.

Waiting to see if an activity is too loud is also unwise. In the coming summer music season, many people will be attending concerts and music festivals. Damage to hearing from loud music at concerts is quite common and easily prevented. Hearing protection is recommended for concert attendees, and some venues even provide hearing protection. While solid plugs distort the sound quality, custom filtered plugs decrease volume to a safe level while maintaining clarity. If you know you will be performing or attending a musical performance, we recommend you come see us ahead of time to get these custom-fitted filtered musician plugs.