As soon as your hearing becomes damaged, it will be damaged forever. That is why taking care of your hearing health and being aware of risks is so important. Also, catching the signs of hearing loss early can prevent further damage. Loss of hearing can have an immense impact on your life, affecting your relationships, hobbies, work and general lifestyle.
Avoid waiting until the it’s too late to protect your hearing health, read below for six tips on how to protect your ears.
1. Regular Check-Ups
Ask your doctor to incorporate regular ear and hearing check-ups when you go to annual doctor appointments, if they aren’t doing so already. Hearing loss develops gradually making annual check-ups a good time for monitoring your hearing health. If hearing issues are identified early, action can be taken to prevent further, permanent hearing loss.
2. Ear Plugs
Whenever you are around loud noises, use ear plugs to protect your ears. Being around loud noises at work or during leisurely activities without ear protection is a common reason why people’s hearing deteriorates. Construction sites, concerts, nightclubs and machinery use are examples of loud noises that people are often exposed to.
Ear plugs are affordable and accessible, if you are in noisy places frequently be sure to buy a pair for yourself. If you wish, you can get a custom fitted pair from a local hearing healthcare provider. There are even special ear plug options for musicians that protect your ears while still being able to hear conversations and music.
3. Don’t Listen to Music on Full Volume
Another common reason why people’s hearing becomes damaged is from listening to loud music through earbuds or headphones.
It is recommended that you only listen to music at 60% of the total volume capacity for a maximum of one hour per day to protect your ears from damage. In addition, over the ear headphones are better for your ears than earbuds.
4. Rest Your Ears
If you have been exposed to loud noise for a prolonged period of time, such as at a bar or a loud day at work, your ears need time to rest and recover. Studies have shown that your ears require 16 hours of recovery time after a loud occurrence. You can rest your ears simply by relaxing in a quiet place.
5. Dry Ears Are Happy Ears
Any excess moisture in the ear can cause bacteria to enter and cause infections such as Swimmer’s Ear, which have an impact on your hearing ability. To prevent infections, be sure to dry your ears gently using a towel after bathing and swimming. If you ever feel excess water in your ear, tilt your head to the side and pull at the ear lobe softly to coax water out.
If you frequently swim, consider getting a custom pair of waterproof ear plugs from your local hearing clinic. They can prevent water build up in your ears thereby preventing infections.
6. Cotton Swabs
Often, people use cotton swabs to clean out excess wax from their ears. This is not advised by hearing healthcare professionals because a little ear wax is perfectly normal and part of an important self-cleaning process. Ear wax stops dust and other potentially harmful debris from entering your ear canal.
Inserting anything into your ear is a risk too because you can damage your eardrums which are very sensitive and necessary for proper hearing functioning. Instead of using cotton swabs, wipe away excess wax using a damp towel gently on your ear canal.
