Terri Ramsey Beavers One common area people often ignore in their quest for ideal health is their hearing. Instead, they focus too much on losing weight or eating well. It feels like you have too much to focus on, and figuring out the best ways to stay healthy with a busy lifestyle can be tricky, no matter who you are. Still, your hearing is a crucial piece of the health puzzle that many take for granted, and most people don’t know how to look after their hearing. So, listen up; here are seven to help you ensure excellent hearing health.
Avoid Loud Noises
Excessive sound levels are classed as prolonged exposure to noises over 70dB, similar to the washing machine or dishwasher. Although these do not seem too loud in isolation, being too close for too long could risk damaging your hearing. Likewise, if you ride a motorbike or go to a lot of music gigs, you could seriously harm your ears. Even listening to music too loudly on your headphones can cause long-lasting damage. Therefore, avoiding loud noises wherever possible is vital.
Protect Your Ears
You can’t avoid loud noises at all times sufficiently, though. Whether you work in loud environments, such as factories or airports, or love to catch new and exciting bands every night, you must find a way to protect your hearing. Eat plugs are ideal for gigs, while ear defenders provide adequate protection in noisy working environments. You can also keep your ears safe during colder months. Wear ear muffs or a hat during winter to protect your ears from the cold and minimize discomfort.
Keep Your Ears Clean
Cleaning your ears regularly prevents wax buildup, which can cause temporary hearing issues as the earwax blocks the ear canal. This issue dulls your hearing and could make you worry that your hearing is failing. In most cases, there’s nothing to worry about, and you can regain sufficient hearing by cleaning out your ears to keep the canal clear. If you experience significant earwax buildup, speak to a doctor or audiologist who can provide advice or treatment.
Don’t Use Cotton Swabs
Many people use cotton swabs to clean out their ears. If this is something you do, stop it immediately. Although cotton swabs are common and many believe they are suitable for cleaning out ears, misuse risks damaging your ear canal, or even rupturing your eardrum. The same goes for any small objects (not that an adult would stick random things in their ear anyway), as damaging your eardrum can cause immense pain and lead to hearing loss.
Dry Your Ear
Have you ever jumped into a pool and come up with water still swelling around your ear? While this is a mere inconvenience most of the time, it can risk significant damage long-term if you don’t know how to get water out of your ear and remove the moisture. Excessive moisture within your ear brings an increased risk of ear infections and hearing loss. After getting out of the bath, shower, or pool, give your ear a quick dry with your towel to remove the remaining water and moisture.
Do Not Smoke
Studies have discovered enough evidence that tinnitus and smoking are linked. Of course, you shouldn’t smoke anyway, but understanding there is yet another possible disease could be the final straw for those desperately trying to quit. The link between smoking and tinnitus is how smoking restricts blood flow and oxygen to your ears and affects the desired functionality. Over time, the more smoke you inhale, the bigger the chances of developing tinnitus, and considering other factors that could contribute to tinnitus (such as loud noises), you are better off quitting smoking as soon as possible.
Get a Checkup
You might think everything is fine with your hearing but there could be issues you are unaware of. Regular hearing checkups can catch any problems before they become severe.
You should also get checkups and speak to your audiologist if you are experiencing problems with treatment. Understanding ill-fitting hearing aid signs helps you recognize when something doesn’t feel or fit right, and you can take action to replace it to ensure better comfort and hearing. Since you rely on your hearing for more than you think, getting a well-fitting hearing aid is essential.
Listen Up
You will regret not taking better care of your hearing if you do irreparable damage too early. Although many hearing issues are related to old age, other factors could severely damage your ability to hear clearly. By understanding the common causes–and how to prevent them–you can ensure excellent hearing health.