The first thing to do, when you start to identify that you have hearing loss, is to avoid further damage. After all, you can take some basic measures to avoid further damage and safeguard your ears.
Step 1: Clean Your Ears
Did you clean behind your ears? It’s one of those first hygiene lessons you learn (or should have learned), right? But it’s actually the inner ear we’re worried about cleaning when it comes to hearing health, rather than behind the ears.
There are several ways that keeping your ears free of wax can help your hearing:
- Sound can be blocked from getting into the inner ear when there’s too much wax buildup. This diminishes your ability to hear.
- If you use a hearing aid, earwax buildup can interfere with its function as well. This may make it seem as though your hearing is getting worse.
- Your brain and ability to decipher sound will ultimately be affected by neglected hearing loss.
- Untidy ears raise your odds of developing an ear infection, which leads to inflammation that (when severe enough) impedes your hearing. Your hearing will go back to normal after the ear infection clears.
If you find earwax buildup, it’s definitely not recommended that you dig around in there with a cotton swab. In most instances, a cotton swab will worsen the situation or cause additional damage. Instead, use over-the-counter ear drops.
Step 2: Avoid Loud Noises
This one should almost be left off the list it’s so obvious. But identifying how loud is too loud is the real problem for most individuals. Over a long period of time, for instance, your ears can be damaged by driving on a busy highway. Your lawnmower motor can be rather taxing on your ears, also. As you can tell, it’s not just blaring speakers or loud rock concerts that harm your ears.
Some useful ways to avoid damaging noises include:
- When you’re watching videos or listening to music keep your headphone volume at a manageable volume. Most phones include built-in warnings when you’re approaching a dangerous level.
- Wearing ear protection when loud environments can’t be avoided. Do you work on a loud factory floor? Going to see a rock concert? That’s great. Just wear the required ear protection. Modern earmuffs and earplugs provide abundant protection.
- Utilizing an app on your phone to warn you when volume levels get to hazardous levels.
Damage to the ears from noise doesn’t develop abruptly, it progresses gradually. So if you’ve been to a noisy event, you could 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 professional.
Step #3: If You Have Any Hearing Impairment – Have it Treated
Hearing impairment accumulates most of the time. So, the sooner you catch the damage, the better you’ll be able to prevent further damage. So in terms of stopping hearing loss, treatment is so significant. Effective treatments (on which you follow through) will put your hearing in the best possible shape.
Here’s how treatments work:
- Hearing aids can stop some, but not all, damage. For example, hearing aids will stop you from cranking your television volume up so loud it harms your ears. Hearing aids will prevent further degeneration of your hearing by stopping this damage.
- We can give personalized instructions and advice to help you prevent further damage to your hearing.
- The potential of developing hearing loss related health problems is reduced by wearing hearing aids because they prevent social isolation and brain strain.
Decreasing Hearing Loss Will Benefit You in The Future
While it’s true that there’s no cure for hearing loss, getting treatment for your hearing loss will help stop additional damage. One of the main ways to do that, in many situations, is hearing aids. Getting the proper treatment will not only prevent further damage but also keep your present hearing level intact.
Your giving yourself the best possibility for healthy hearing into the future by using ear protection, getting the proper treatment, and exercising good hearing hygiene.