The first thing to do, when you begin to recognize that you have hearing loss, is to avoid further damage. There are, after all, some straightforward measures you can take to protect your ears and limit further hearing loss.
Step 1: Clean Your Ears
Remember learning to be certain you clean behind your ears when you learned general hygiene (or at least should have learned). When it comes to hearing health, however, we’re not concerned with the space behind your ears, but rather your inner ears.
There are several ways that keeping your ears clear of wax can assist your hearing:
- Your brain and ability to interpret sound will ultimately be impacted by neglected hearing loss.
- Your ability to hear can also be interfered with if you get a severe ear infection which can also be a result of dirty ears. Your hearing will go back to normal after the ear infection clears.
- If you have a hearing aid, earwax accumulation can hinder its function also. You may end up feeling like your hearing is going downhill because of this.
- When wax buildup becomes severe, it can stop sound from getting into your inner ear. This reduces your ability to hear.
You never resort to the use of a cotton swab to try and dig out excess earwax. In most instances, a cotton swab will make things worse or cause additional damage. Over the counter ear drops are a better choice.
Step 2: Avoid Loud Noises
This one should almost be left off the list it’s so intuitive. But identifying how loud is too loud is the real difficulty for most individuals. Over an extended time period, for example, your ears can be damaged by driving on a busy freeway. Also, believe it or not, your lawn mower can take a toll on your ears. As you can see, it’s not just blaring speakers or loud rock concerts that harm your ears.
Some useful ways to stay away from damaging noises include:
- Utilizing an app on your phone to warn you when volume levels get to dangerous thresholds.
- When you can’t avoid noisy environments, wear hearing protection. Do you work on a noisy factory floor? Going to a rock concert? That’s fun. But be sure to wear the proper protection for your ears. A perfect illustration would be earmuffs and earplugs.
- Staying away from turning up the volume on your headphones when you’re watching videos or listening to music. When harmful levels are being reached, most phones feature a built in warning.
The damage to your ears from loud sounds will develop gradually. So, even if your hearing “seems” good after a loud event, that doesn’t mean it is. Only a hearing specialist can give your hearing a clean bill of health.
Step #3: Address Any Hearing Loss You Might Have
Generally speaking, hearing loss is cumulative. So recognizing any damage early will help prevent additional injury. So when it comes to slowing down hearing loss, treatment is so significant. Your hearing will be at the greatest advantage if you find and follow through on practical treatment.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Some, but not all damage can be prevented by using hearing aids. Hearing aids will, for example, let you listen to music or the TV at a lower volume, avoiding damage. Hearing aids will counter further deterioration of your hearing by stopping this damage.
- Our guidance will help you learn to safeguard your hearing because it is customized and personalized for you.
- Hearing aids prevent the brain strain and social isolation that exacerbate hearing loss-related health problems.
Limiting Hearing Impairment Will Benefit You in The Future
Although it’s true that hearing loss can’t be cured, getting treatment for your hearing loss will help prevent further damage. In many situations, hearing aids are one of the primary ways to accomplish that. The correct treatment will help you preserve your present level of hearing and prevent it from worsening.
When you wear hearing protection, engage in good hygiene, and pursue hearing loss treatment, you’re taking the correct steps to limit hearing loss while also giving yourself the best opportunity for healthy hearing in the years to come.