Pizza is a fascinating thing. You can change the toppings, sauces, even the cheeses concerned, but as long as it meets a few standard criteria, it’s still a pizza. Hearing loss is also like this. Symptoms and manifestations are due to many different issues – loud noises, genetics, age, ear blockages – but as long as you have difficulty detecting sounds, it’s still hearing loss.
Usually, when you first notice hearing loss (regardless of the variety), the first thing you need to do is try to minimize the damage. There are, after all, some simple steps you can take to protect your ears and control further hearing loss.
Tip 1: Keep your ears clean
Remember when your parents used to constantly ask “did you clean behind your ears”? But with regards to the health of your hearing, it’s the inner ear, not behind the ears, that we’re worried about.
Your hearing can be helped in numerous ways by keeping your ears free of earwax:
- Over time, untreated hearing loss affects your brain and your ability to decipher sounds.
- Earwax buildup also interferes with the functioning of your hearing aid if you have one. This might make it seem as if your hearing is worsening.
- When wax buildup becomes significant, it can block sound waves from reaching your inner ear. As a result, your ability to hear becomes weakened.
- Untidy ears boost your risk of developing an ear infection, which causes swelling that, when severe enough, impedes your ability to hear. When your ear infection goes away, your normal hearing will typically return.
If you notice earwax buildup, it’s absolutely not recommended that you dig around in there with a cotton swab. Cotton swabs can push the earwax further up into the ear canal and can trigger even more harm. Instead, use over-the-counter ear drops.
Tip 2: Loud noise that could contribute to hearing loss should be avoided
This one should be fairly intuitive. The problem is that most people have no clue what a “loud noise” actually is. There are lots of risks to your hearing in everyday life and that includes things as common as driving on a noisy highway every day over long periods. Your ears can also be damaged by things like your lawn mower engine. And when you’re out remembering the 4th of July, be mindful to protect your hearing!
Here are a few practical ways to eliminate noise damage:
- When you can’t avoid being in a loud setting, use hearing protection. If you want to go to a loud rock concert or if you work in a noisy factory that’s okay but don’t forget your hearing protection. You can get enough protection from modern earplugs and earmuffs.
- When you’re streaming movies or listening to tunes, watch your headphone volume. When you’re listening at dangerous volumes, most phones have built-in alerts.
- When volume levels get too high, you can use an app on your phone to alert you.
So if you go to a noisy event and your hearing seems fine after, that doesn’t mean it is, because hearing loss is usually a gradual progression. Your hearing can only get a clean bill of health by a hearing specialist.
Tip 3: Treat any hearing loss you may have
In general, hearing loss is accumulative. So, the sooner you catch the damage, the better you’ll be able to avoid further damage. So when it comes to hearing loss, this is why getting it treated is so essential. Effective treatments (on which you follow through) will leave your hearing in the best possible state.
Treatment works like this:
- Brain strain, social withdrawal, and other hearing loss-related health issues can be prevented by hearing aids.
- Hearing aids can stop some, but not all, damage. For instance, hearing aids will prevent you from turning your television volume up so loud it harms your ears. Because hearing aids stop this damage, they can also prevent further degeneration of your hearing.
- We will give you customized instructions and advice to help you avoid further damage to your hearing.
In the long run you will be benefited by wearing hearing aids
Treatment is one of the main ways to prevent hearing loss in spite of the fact that there is no cure. The correct treatment will help you preserve your current degree of hearing and prevent it from getting worse.
When you use hearing protection, practice quality hygiene, and pursue hearing loss treatment with a hearing specialist, you’re taking the best measures to limit hearing loss while also giving yourself the best chance for healthy hearing in the years to come!