In an effort to protect yourself from hearing loss, you hopefully take a number of simple steps. Wearing earplugs when you're at a loud concert, protecting your ears when you're cutting the grass and other such steps are commonly known ways for the average person to protect his or her hearing. What you might not know, however, is that your hearing can be jeopardized in a variety of different ways that could result in premature hearing loss and the need for hearing aids. Here are some important ways to protect yourself from these lesser-known causes of hearing damage.  

Practice Safe Sex

There is a multitude of reasons that you should practice safe sex, but the health of your hearing is one reason that you probably hadn't considered. Sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis can actually cause hearing loss, as well as a long list of other health concerns. There are a number of ways that you can practice safe sex, including always wearing protection or insisting that your partner wears protection. When entering into a relationship with someone, it's always a good idea to each have a blood test to ensure that neither of you has an STD that could compromise your hearing and your overall health.

Take Steps To Avoid Lyme Disease

Lyme disease has a number of serious health complications, including temporary or permanent hearing loss. As such, it's important to do all that you can to limit your risk of contracting this concerning disease. Lyme disease is commonly transmitted by ticks. If you plan to spend time outdoors, and especially in wooded areas, make sure that you're wearing a hefty dose of insect repellent and that you're wearing full-length pants and a long-sleeved shirt to minimize the amount of your skin that is exposed. Keeping your yard tidy — the grass cut short and the shrubs properly pruned — can also lessen your risk of coming into contact with a tick that carries Lyme disease.

Protect Yourself During Sports

The health of their ears is likely the last thing people think about when they play sports, but the reality is that an injury to one of your ears could cause permanent damage. The manner in which you protect your ears depends on the sport. When cycling, for example, make sure that your helmet extends down to cover your ears to protect from an impact in the event of a fall. Surfers, too, should wear special surfing earplugs to protect from issues such as surfer's ear, which can cause hearing damage. 

For further information, contact local professionals, such as those from http://www.HearDenver.org.