Normally, when you’re confronted with hearing loss (no matter the type), the first thing you should do is try to minimize the damage. After all, you can take some simple measures to avoid additional damage and safeguard your ears.
Step 1: Keep Your Ears Clean
Remember learning to be certain you clean behind your ears when you learned basic hygiene (or at least should have learned). In terms of hearing health, however, we aren’t concerned with the areas behind your ears, but rather your inner ears.
There are numerous ways that keeping your ears free from wax can assist your hearing:
- Over time, untreated hearing loss can impact your brain and your ability to interpret sounds.
- If you use a hearing aid, earwax accumulation can interfere with its function also. This could make it seem as if your hearing is getting worse.
- Your ability to hear can also be impeded if you get a serious ear infection which can also be a result of dirty ears. When your ear infection clears, your regular hearing will usually come back.
- Sound can be blocked from getting into the inner ear when there’s too much wax accumulation. This reduces your ability to hear.
You never resort to the use of a cotton swab to attempt to dig out built up earwax. In most cases, a cotton swab will make things worse or cause additional damage. Over the counter ear drops are a better choice.
Step 2: Avoid Loud Noises
This one is so instinctive it almost shouldn’t be on the list. But knowing how loud is too loud is the real problem for most people. Over a long time period, for instance, your ears can be damaged by driving on a busy freeway. The motor on your lawnmower can be rather taxing on your ears, too. As you can see, it’s not just blaring speakers or loud rock concerts that harm your ears.
Here are a few ways to stay away from damaging noise:
- When volume levels get too loud, an app on your phone can notify you of that.
- Refraining from cranking up the volume on your headphones when you’re watching videos or listening to music. Most phones include built-in alerts when you’re nearing a dangerous threshold.
- When you can’t steer clear of loud settings, wear hearing protection. Do you work on a loud factory floor? Going to a rock concert? That’s cool. But be certain to use the proper protection for your ears. A perfect example would be earplugs or earmuffs.
The damage to your ears from loud sounds will build up slowly. So if you’ve been to a loud event, you might have done damage even if you don’t realize it. You can only get a clean bill of health for your ears by a hearing specialist.
Step #3: If You Have Any Hearing Loss – Get it Addressed
Hearing loss accumulates generally speaking. So recognizing any damage early will help prevent additional injury. That’s why treatment is extremely important when it comes to stopping hearing loss. Your hearing will be at the greatest advantage if you seek out and follow through on effective treatment.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Our guidance will help you learn to safeguard your hearing because it is customized and personalized for you.
- Hearing aids can prevent some, but not all, damage. Hearing aids will, for instance, allow you to listen to music or the TV at a lower volume, avoiding damage. Because hearing aids counter this damage, they can also prevent further decline of your hearing.
- The potential of developing hearing loss related health problems is diminished by using hearing aids because they minimize social isolation and brain strain.
You Will be Benefited in The Long Run by Decreasing Hearing Loss
Even though it’s true that hearing loss can’t be cured, getting treatment for your hearing loss will help stop further damage. One of the principal ways to do that, in many situations, is hearing aids. The correct treatment will help you preserve your present level of hearing and stop it from worsening.
Your allowing yourself the best opportunity for healthy hearing into the future by wearing ear protection, getting the proper treatment, and exercising good hearing hygiene.