Pizza is a fascinating thing. As long as a few criteria are met, you can switch toppings, cheese, and sauce, and it’s still a pizza. That’s a lot like hearing loss. But as long as you have trouble hearing sound, it’s still hearing loss regardless of whether it’s due to genetic factors, age, blockages, or exposure to loud noise.
Limiting the damage is the first step you should take when facing hearing loss of any type. You can, after all, take some basic steps to limit further damage and safeguard your ears.
Tip 1: Keep your ears clean
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, we’re not worried about the parts behind your ears, but rather inside of your ears.
There are a number of ways that earwax buildup can impact your hearing:
- Unclean ears raise your risk of getting an ear infection, which creates inflammation that when significant enough, interferes with your hearing. Your hearing will usually return to normal after the infection is gone.
- Sound waves going to your ears can be blocked when a significant amount of earwax accumulates. When this occurs you won’t be capable of hearing as well.
- If you have a hearing aid, earwax can also impact that. This could make you think that your hearing is starting to fail.
If you find earwax buildup, it’s absolutely not suggested that you dig around in there with a cotton swab. In most situations, a cotton swab will worsen the problem or cause added harm. Over-the-counter ear drops are encouraged as an alternative.
Tip 2: Avoid loud noises that could result in hearing loss
This is so evident that it sort of goes without saying. But what exactly constitutes a “loud sound”? For instance, freeway travel can be loud enough to damage your ears over a long period of time. The motor on your lawnmower can be very straining on your ears, also. As you can see, it isn’t just blaring speakers or raucous rock concerts that harm your ears.
Here are a number of ways to avoid loud, damaging noises.:
- Abstaining from turning the volume up on your headphones when you’re viewing videos or listening to tunes. The majority of phones include built-in alerts when you’re approaching a damaging limit.
- When you need to be in a noisy environment, utilize hearing protection. Do you work on a loud factory floor? It’s okay if you want to go to that rock concert. But you need to use the appropriate hearing protection. Modern earmuffs and earplugs offer adequate protection.
- When decibel levels get to a dangerous volume, you can use an app on your phone to alert you.
The damage to your ears from loud sounds will progress gradually. So, even if your hearing “feels” fine after a noisy event, that doesn’t mean it is. We can only help you figure out if you have hearing loss if you call for an appointment.
Tip 3: If you have any hearing loss, deal with it
In most situations, hearing loss accumulates gradually over a long period of time. So, the sooner you catch the damage, the better you’ll be able to stop added damage. That’s why treatment is incredibly important in terms of limiting hearing loss. Effective treatments (on which you follow through) will leave your hearing in the best possible situation.
Here’s how treatments work:
- Hearing aids can stop some, but not all, damage. If you’re using hearing aids, for instance, you won’t always have to turn volumes up to harmful levels. This will counter further noise-related damage.
- Hearing aids prevent the brain strain and social isolation that exacerbate hearing loss-related health conditions.
- We will help you avoid additional damage to your ears by providing you with individualized guidance when you come in for a consultation.
Over the long haul, you will be helped by wearing hearing aids
Even though we can’t cure hearing loss, we are putting in hard work to help you minimize additional damage. In many cases, hearing loss treatment is one of the primary ways to accomplish that. Your current level of hearing will be maintained and hearing loss will be prevented from getting worse with the proper treatment.
You’re taking the proper measures to prevent hearing loss and put yourself in the best situation to continue to have healthy hearing if you practice good hygiene, use ear protection, and come see us for regular hearing exams.