7 Ways to Protect Your Ears and Hearing Health

Hearing loss is a bit like skin damage: you can prevent it by taking the proper steps. However, while most people know about the benefits of covering the skin and wearing sunscreen, fewer are aware of the steps they need to take to protect their ears. Continue reading this post if you would like to learn more about hearing health and what you can do to boost it.

Keep Your Ears Free from Water

Swimming and bathing can cause water to enter your ear canal and your ears to get wet. Most of the time, this moisture simply drains out. However, it can sit in the ear for longer, increasing the risk of infection. To prevent this, always wear silicone earbuds designed when swimming or submerging your head in water. These stop any water from entering the ear canal.

Make sure you get custom earbuds. These have the best chance of being watertight. Generic products may allow moisture to enter.

Remain Physically Active

Remaining physically active, particularly into your older years, is an excellent way to maintain good ear health. That’s because it improves blood flow and circulation, which boosts oxygen saturation and nutrient supply to ear tissues.

Many people experience sensorineural hearing loss as they get older. This type of hearing loss occurs as the components in the ear start to age and lose function. People who regularly exercise may slow this process and keep their ears more youthful for longer.

Avoid Medications That Cause Hearing Loss

Hearing loss can occur as a side effect of drug use. That’s because some medications are “ototoxic,” meaning they harm the ears. Only take drugs in doses recommended by your physician. Do not take extra. Taking too much could accelerate damage to the ears.

Antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, beta-blockers and chemotherapy drugs can harm the ear’s delicate machinery. Talk to your doctor about alternatives if you notice your hearing getting worse.

Give Your Ears a Break from Time to Time

Ears can repair from loud concerts and parties, but it takes time. Noise damage can accumulate if you don’t take a break. Constantly exposing your ears to loud noises denies them the opportunity to recover. Resting your ears means spending plenty of time in low-noise environments. Such places could include your home, local nature reserves or libraries. If there is too much noise where you are, try wearing ear muffs or plugs to block it out.

Reduce Music Volume

Loud music listened to through headphones is a leading cause of hearing loss. Unlike pneumatic drills or aircraft jet engines, it is pleasurable to listen to. Therefore, patients consume more of it than they would otherwise. Unfortunately, loud music has the same deleterious effects on the ears as any other sound. Therefore, it can lead to premature hearing loss in some people.

To reduce the risk of music-induced hearing loss, turn down the volume on your music devices. Ideally, keep sounds below 85 decibels. Studies show that listening louder than this can lead to ear damage.

Don’t Use Cotton Swabs

If you feel like you have something in your ear, it is tempting to use cotton swabs to get it out. However, these can make the problem worse. They may compact earwax in the ear canal or, in extreme cases, perforate the eardrum. Cotton swabs (and other foreign objects you put in your ear) do more harm than good. The best policy is to go to your audiologist if you feel something stuck. They can use medicines and tools to remove it.

Know the Warning Signs of Hearing Loss

Lastly, you should educate yourself on the warning signs of hearing loss. This way, you can get help as soon as possible and manage symptoms better.

Common signs of hearing loss include:

• Finding it difficult to hear what children and women are saying
• Having to turn up the volume on the TV or radio to a higher setting
• Struggling to understand what a person is saying to you in a noisy room
• Not hearing the doorbell or telephone ring
• Being unable to hear birdsong
• Having trouble hearing your alarm in the morning
• Asking people to repeat themselves or saying “pardon” or “what” all the time
• Not wanting to socialize because listening to other people requires a lot of effort

If you believe you may have hearing loss or you want to maintain your ear health, get in touch with Memphis Audiology to discuss your needs. Talk to a friendly member of our team by calling 901-708-2916 to discuss your options and book an appointment.