Generally, when you’re confronted with hearing loss (no matter the variety), the first thing you should do is try to minimize the damage. After all, you can take some simple measures to stop additional damage and safeguard your ears.
Step 1: Keep Your Ears Clean
Did you clean behind your ears? It’s one of those initial hygiene lessons you learn (or should have learned), right? In terms of hearing health, though, we’re not worried about the areas behind your ears, but rather your inner ears.
There are multiple ways that keeping your ears free of wax can help your hearing:
- Your brain and ability to decipher sound will inevitably be impacted by neglected hearing loss.
- If you use a hearing aid, earwax accumulation can hinder its function also. This could make it seem as if your hearing is getting worse.
- Untidy ears increase your chances of developing an ear infection, which causes inflammation that (when severe enough) interferes with your hearing. Your hearing will return to normal after the ear infection clears.
- Sound can be blocked from getting into the inner ear when there’s too much wax accumulation. As a result, your hearing becomes diminished.
If you observe earwax buildup, it’s definitely not suggested that you dig around in there with a cotton swab. Further damage can be done by cotton swabs and they will often make it even harder to hear. Over the counter ear drops are a better decision.
Step 2: Avoid Loud Noises
This one should almost be left off the list it’s so intuitive. But determining how loud is too loud is the real difficulty for most people. Over a long time period, for example, your ears can be damaged by driving on a busy freeway. Your lawnmower motor can be fairly taxing on your ears, too. Clearly, it’s more than rock concerts or high volume speakers that cause hearing damage.
Here are some ways to avoid damaging noise:
- When you’re watching videos or listening to music keep the volume on your headphones at a manageable volume. When dangerous volumes are being reached, most phones feature a built in warning.
- When you can’t avoid noisy environments, wear hearing protection. Does your job put you on the floor of a loud manufacturing plant? Going to a rock concert? That’s cool. Just use the necessary ear protection. Contemporary earmuffs and earplugs offer ample protection.
- Making use of an app on your phone to warn you when volume levels reach hazardous levels.
The damage to your ears from loud noises will develop slowly. So if you’ve attended a loud event, you could 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: Address Any Hearing Impairment You Might Have
Hearing loss accumulates generally speaking. So, the earlier you recognize the damage, the better you’ll be able to prevent further damage. So in terms of stopping hearing loss, treatment is so important. Effective treatments (on which you follow through) will keep your hearing in the best possible shape.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Hearing aids can prevent some, but not all, damage. Hearing aids will, for instance, let you listen to music or the TV at a lower volume, preventing damage. Hearing aids will counter additional deterioration of your hearing by stopping this damage.
- The chance of developing hearing loss related health problems is diminished by wearing hearing aids because they minimize social solitude and brain strain.
- Our advice will help you learn to protect your hearing because it is customized and personalized for you.
Decreasing Hearing Impairment Will Benefit You in The Long Run
Even though it’s true that there’s no cure for hearing loss, getting treatment for your hearing loss will help prevent additional damage. One of the principal ways to do that, in many situations, is hearing aids. Getting the necessary treatment will not only prevent further damage but also keep your current hearing level intact.
Your giving yourself the best chance for healthy hearing into the future by using ear protection, getting the appropriate treatment, and practicing good hearing hygiene.