Written By: Care New England on March 11, 2022
You can easily lose your hearing sense by ignoring basic practices. Knowing that you are in charge of how much you can damage your ears or keep them healthy prevents you from having hearing issues.
Learn more about what can you do to protect yourself from damaging your ears.There are countless ways to enhance your hearing health and avoid damaging your ears. These include:
Young adults have a common trend of listening to music and other audio at loud volumes. Most of the audio devices are unsafe, endangering your hearing health.
The 60/60 rule can be helpful; always listen to music at 60% volume and be sure you don't listen to it for over an hour.
You can look for noise cancellation devices like headphones and earbuds, but the latter can be risky as they fit the eardrum.
How can I protect my hearing if I attend concerts with too loud noise or go clubbing? You can relate to this question if you participate in social events where you cannot regulate noise.
The good news is that you can wear earplugs -these custom-made devices filter extreme noises. If you put them on it will be less harmful.
It's advisable to avoid exposing yourself to loud noise for more extended periods. When this is inevitable, always take time away from such noises and allow your ears enough time to recover.
If you are attending a concert, take intervals of 5-10 minutes away from the music. Also, avoid loud noise in a quiet environment for about 12-16 hours.
Most people prefer using cotton swabs to clean their ears and remove wax. How do I protect my hearing if I cannot use cotton swabs to get rid of wax? Well, a little ear wax is not harmful as it protects your inner ear from dust and harmful particles.
Inserting anything in your ear could damage your eardrum and other sensitive structures. It's advisable to use a damp towel to remove excess wax. However, you can consult a physician for best practices on cleaning your ears and avoid jeopardizing your hearing health.
After swimming and showering, always wipe your ears and get rid of water. Moisture creates room for bacteria and affects the ear, which exposes you to infections that will affect your hearing health.
Conditions like otitis externa result from water trapped in someone's ear and affecting the outer ear. If you feel the water in the ears, tilt your head toward that side and gently shake the ear lobe to get rid of the water.
Swimmers might find custom-fit earplugs and have them on when swimming. These devices block water from getting into your ears.
High levels of anxiety and stress have been associated with infections like tinnitus. Stress usually causes your body to panic and either with fear or get in flight mode. Both occurrences prepare your body to flee or fight any impending danger.
Being in such conditions exerts more pressure on your nerves, excess body heat, and increases blood flow. The extra pressure significantly affects your inner ear, exposing you to tinnitus.
Since stress is inevitable, always be cautious and find quick remedies to mitigate stressful scenarios.
Since hearing-related issues develop gradually, it's always healthy to go for routine ear checkups. Consulting with your doctor helps diagnose early symptoms and find remedies that will reduce the severity of hearing loss.
Remember, regular checkups can reduce the severity of diseases like dementia, heart disease, and depression.
Disregarding your hearing health can result in infections and permanent hearing loss in the worst scenarios. Don't wait for physicians to intervene but be at the forefront of enhancing your health. Learn more about Audiology Services at Women & Infants Hospital.
