Ear health is often ignored by many, but it also plays an important role in your mental health and overall well-being. Therefore, it’s vital to take preventive steps to preserve your ears or adopt habits to limit your chances of developing noise-induced hearing loss. Data shows that 40 million adults have varying degrees of auditory loss caused by prolonged exposure to noise, making it essential to know the right steps to take. Here are some tips for optimal ear health.
Practice proper ear hygiene
Although you may be tempted to insert Q-tips into your ears to clean the wax in there, research reveals that it’s not advisable to do so as you may push ear wax deeper into the inner canal. Doing this can lead to wax impaction or cause damage to the inner ear’s delicate structures. Your ears have a natural way to push wax to the outer opening for safe removal. The best alternative is to gently clean your outer ears with a washcloth during regular bathing routines. You can also see a health professional to clean your ears if there’s excessive wax buildup. They may prescribe over-the-counter ear drops to soften the wax so it comes out naturally.
Another noteworthy point is to protect your ears during water-related activities like swimming or showering. That is because water in the ear can increase the risks of infections and swimmer’s ears. It is, therefore, advisable to wear earplugs purposely designed for swimming.
Get your hearing checked professionally
You can reduce your risks of severe auditory issues by sticking to regular health evaluations. These are necessary because they make it easy to detect any changes in your auditory health, and with timely interventions, you can preserve your hearing. Never wait until you suspect something is wrong with your ears before booking an appointment with the audiologist.
Before preparing for a hearing evaluation, remember to keep a symptom log of any hearing challenges you may have encountered in the past or recently. Keeping a symptom log will make the audiologist’s work easier. It would be best to have an idea of your medical history before an appointment. For example, did any past medication impact your hearing in any way, or did it increase ringing in your ears until you completed the course? Any ear injuries or surgeries sustained in the past will be useful information for the audiologist to make a good judgment about your auditory health.
Limit your exposure to loud noise
As indicated in the introduction, noise-induced hearing loss is prevalent among all ages and cannot be underestimated. Everyday activities like mowing the lawn, attending concerts, or listening to music through earpieces can increase your chances of auditory problems in the short to long term. This happens because the ears have sensitive hair cells that vibrate to external sounds, and prolonged loud exposure doesn’t work well for them. That is why hearing professionals advise people to use ear protection in places where they may be exposed to loud sounds. This step is particularly important if you operate power tools or work in a music studio. Additionally, take listening breaks from your headphones and earpieces. Remember to set the volume at lower levels for enhanced hearing health.