Normally, when you’re confronted with hearing loss (no matter the type), the first thing you should do is attempt to limit the damage. After all, you can take some simple actions to prevent further damage and safeguard your ears.
Step 1: Clean Your Ears
Did you clean behind your ears? It’s one of those early hygiene lessons you learn (or should have learned), right? In terms of hearing health, however, we’re not worried about the space behind your ears, but rather your inner ears.
There are several ways that keeping your ears free from wax can assist your hearing:
- If you have a hearing aid, earwax buildup can interfere with its function as well. This could make it seem as if your hearing is getting worse.
- Sound can be blocked from reaching the inner ear when there’s too much wax buildup. This reduces your ability to hear.
- Your brain and ability to decipher sound will inevitably be impacted by untreated hearing loss.
- Untidy ears increase your chances of developing an ear infection, which causes inflammation that (when serious enough) impedes your ability to hear. When your ear infection goes away, your regular hearing will normally return.
You never resort to the use of a cotton swab to attempt to dig out excess earwax. Further damage can be caused by cotton swabs and they will often make it even harder to hear. Over the counter ear drops are a smarter decision.
Step 2: Avoid Loud Noises
This one is so instinctive it almost shouldn’t be on the list. The problem is that most individuals are hard-pressed to define what a “loud noise” actually is. Over an extended time period, for instance, your ears can be damaged by driving on a busy highway. Also, believe it or not, your lawn mower can take a toll on your ears. As you can tell, it isn’t just blaring speakers or loud rock concerts that harm your ears.
Here are a few ways to avoid damaging noise:
- When volume levels get too loud, an app on your phone can warn you of that.
- Refraining from cranking the volume up on your headphones when you’re listening to music or watching videos. When dangerous volumes are being reached, most phones feature a built in warning.
- When you can’t steer clear of noisy settings, wear hearing protection. Do you work on a noisy factory floor? Going to a rock concert? That’s great. But be certain to use the correct protection for your hearing. A perfect illustration would be earplugs or earmuffs.
The damage to your hearing from loud noises will build up slowly. So if you’ve been to a loud event, you may have done damage even if you don’t notice it. You can only get a clean bill of health for your ears by a hearing professional.
Step #3: If You Have Any Hearing Impairment – Get it Addressed
In general, hearing loss is cumulative. So, the sooner you recognize the damage, the better you’ll be capable of preventing further damage. So when it comes to stopping hearing loss, treatment is so important. Practical treatments (on which you follow through) will keep your hearing in the best possible shape.
Here’s how treatments work:
- Our advice will help you learn to protect your hearing because it is customized and personalized for you.
- The chance of developing hearing loss related health issues is diminished by wearing hearing aids because they minimize social solitude and brain strain.
- Some, but not all damage can be avoided by using hearing aids. For instance, hearing aids will prevent you from cranking your television volume up so loud it damages your ears. Because hearing aids counter this damage, they can also stop further deterioration of your hearing.
You Will be Benefited in The Future by Decreasing Hearing Loss
Even though we don’t have a cure for hearing loss, additional damage can be prevented with treatment. One of the main ways to do that, in many situations, is hearing aids. The right treatment will help you maintain your current level of hearing and prevent it from getting worse.
When you use hearing protection, engage in good hygiene, and obtain hearing loss treatment, you’re taking the correct measures to minimize hearing loss while also giving yourself the best chance for healthy hearing in the future.
