Pizza is a fascinating thing. You can change the toppings, sauces, even the cheeses involved, but as long as it meets some standard criteria, it’s still a pizza. That’s similar to hearing loss. As long as you are having a hard time hearing sound, whether it’s due to a blockage, age, loud noise, or anything else, it’s still hearing loss.
Restricting the damage is usually the first thing to do when you start to detect hearing loss. There are, after all, some easy measures you can take to safeguard your ears and minimize further hearing loss.
Tip 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? When it involves hearing health, we aren’t concerned with the areas behind your ears, but instead your inner ears.
Keeping your ears free of wax buildups can help your hearing in numerous different ways:
- Earwax accumulation also disrupts the operation of your hearing aid if you use one. This might make it seem like your hearing is worsening.
- When wax buildup becomes significant, it can block sound waves from reaching your inner ear. Because of this, your ability to hear becomes weakened.
- Your brain and your ability to interpret sounds can be impacted over time by neglected hearing loss.
- Your ability to hear can be hampered by inflammation which is caused by profound ear infection as a result of dirty ears. When your ear infection clears up, your normal hearing will usually return.
You should never attempt to use a cotton swab to dig out earwax. Cotton swabs can push the earwax further up into the ear canal and can trigger even more damage. You can buy earwax removal drops over-the-counter at your local drugstore which work better and are safer than swabs.
Tip 2: Avoid loud noises that could result in hearing loss
This one is so intuitive it almost doesn’t need to be on this list. But defining what comprises “loud sound” is not easy for most individuals. It’s not just blaring speakers or loud rock concerts that harm your ears, highway driving can be noisy enough to damage your ears over a long period of time. The motor on your lawnmower can be very taxing on your ears as well. And when you’re out celebrating the 4th of July, be mindful to protect your ears!
Here are a few useful ways to eliminate noise damage:
- When you’re streaming movies or listening to music, watch your headphone volume. When you’re listening at dangerous levels, most phones have built-in alerts.
- Using ear protection when noisy situations are inescapable. Do you work on a noisy factory floor? Do you really want to go to that rock concert? That’s fine. Just use the correct ear protection. You can get enough protection from modern earplugs and earmuffs.
- Using an app on your phone to alert you when decibel levels reach hazardous thresholds.
The damage to your ears from loud sounds will build up slowly. So, even if your hearing “seems” good after a loud event, that doesn’t mean it is. Your hearing can only be properly assessed by a hearing specialist.
Tip 3: Treat any hearing loss you might have
Hearing loss typically builds over time. So you’ll be in a better position to avoid further damage if you catch it early. That’s why treatment is extremely important when it comes to controlling hearing loss. Effective treatments (on which you follow through) will leave your hearing in the best possible condition.
Here’s how treatments work:
- Some, but not all damage can be avoided by hearing aids. With a hearing aid, you’re unlikely to crank up the tv to dangerous volumes. Because hearing aids stop this damage, they can also prevent further deterioration of your hearing.
- We will provide personalized instructions and guidance to help you avoid further damage to your hearing.
- Brain strain, social withdrawal, and other hearing loss-associated health issues can be prevented by hearing aids.
In the long run you will be benefited by using hearing aids
Treatment is one of the main ways to prevent hearing loss despite the fact that there is no cure. The correct treatment will help you preserve your present degree of hearing and prevent it from getting worse.
In the years to come you will be providing yourself with the best opportunity for healthy hearing if you get hearing loss treatment from us, use hearing protection, and practice quality hygiene!