Although permanent hearing loss is an issue that millions of people deal with every day, there are some people who still do not take their ear health seriously. If you’re consistently exposed to loud noises, there’s every chance you could suffer damage to your hearing. Taking action now can stop permanent damage before it takes place.

For those wondering when, exactly you should use ear protection, consider the following:

If the noise at your work environment is uncomfortable, or requires shouting…

If you work in a loud environment, wearing ear protection is important. Exposing yourself to loud noises where you have to shout to be heard are signs the environment is loud enough to damage your hearing permanently. If you’re unsure of whether your environment is loud enough to warrant ear protection, you can ask your employer to measure the sound. If it exceeds 85 decibels, then you should be wearing ear protection at work. Make sure you check over the legal requirements of your job in your area and ensure your employer is enforcing these requirements.

If you have a hobby that’s so noisy you can’t hear anything else…

Perhaps you have a hobby that is affecting your hearing. Working with loud machinery in your spare time or even playing an instrument could affect your hearing. Measuring the decibel level of a noise is easy, especially with today’s smartphone technology. Many devices can be equipped with a decibel-measuring app. Using the app can enable you to be more mindful about how loud a hobby is, and whether or not ear protection is needed.

If you are already finding yourself having a hard time…

If you are already experiencing signs of damaged hearing, it’s crucial you take steps to protect it, even if you are no longer in the environment that caused the damage. Having tinnitus on a regular basis (defined as a ghost ringing in your ears), pain or struggling to hear what somebody is saying to you are all signs that your hearing is temporarily or permanently damaged. You’ll only know for sure if you have your ears looked at by an audiologist. When you have damaged ears, taking steps to prevent further damage can enhance your quality of life. Make sure you wear ear protection wherever necessary, and be mindful of the environments you spend time in.