Isn’t pizza fascinating? You can switch the toppings, sauces, even the cheeses involved, but as long as it satisfies a few general factors, it’s still a pizza. Hearing loss is a lot like that. 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.
Minimizing the damage is the first thing you should do when confronted with hearing loss of any type. You can, after all, take some simple steps to limit additional damage and protect your ears.
Tip 1: Keep your ears clean
When you were younger, you most likely learned that you need to wash behind your ears. In terms of hearing health, we aren’t worried about the places behind your ears, but rather inside of your ears.
Keeping your ears clear of wax buildup can improve your hearing in a number of different ways:
- When wax buildup becomes significant, it can prevent soundwaves from getting into your inner ear. Consequently, your ability to hear becomes decreased.
- Unclean ears increase your risk of developing an ear infection, which creates inflammation that when severe enough, impedes your ability to hear. Your hearing will normally return to normal when the infection clears.
- If you use a hearing aid, earwax can also impact that. This might make you think that your hearing is starting to fail.
If you notice earwax accumulation, it’s absolutely not recommended that you dig around in there with a cotton swab. In most circumstances, a cotton swab will worsen the problem or cause added harm. Instead, use over-the-counter ear drops.
Tip 2: Stay away from loud noises that could contribute to hearing loss
This is so obvious that it kind of goes without saying. But what precisely comprises a “loud sound”? A freeway, for example, can be loud enough that over an extended period of time, it can harm your ears. The engine on your lawnmower can be pretty straining on your ears, also. Clearly, other things besides rock concerts or blaring speakers can damage your ears.
Here are some ways to avoid loud, damaging noises.:
- Using an app on your phone to alert you when decibel levels reach hazardous thresholds.
- When you have to be in a loud environment, use hearing protection. Do you work on a loud factory floor? It’s fine if you want to attend that rock concert. Just wear the necessary ear protection. Contemporary earmuffs and earplugs offer adequate protection.
- When you’re listening to music or viewing videos, keep the volume of your headphones at safe levels. Most phones offer built-in alerts when you’re approaching a damaging threshold.
The damage to your ears from loud noises will progress slowly. So, even if your hearing “feels” okay after a loud event, that doesn’t mean it is. Only if you come in and see us can we give your ears a clean bill of health.
Tip 3: If you have any hearing loss, get it treated
In most cases, hearing loss develops gradually over an extended period of time. So, the sooner you catch the damage, the better you’ll be able to protect against added damage. That’s why treatment is tremendously important in terms of minimizing hearing loss. Effective treatments (on which you follow through) will put your hearing in the best possible condition.
Here’s how treatments work:
- Hearing aids reduce the brain strain and social isolation that exacerbate hearing loss-related health conditions.
- We will help you avoid additional damage to your ears by supplying you with personalized instructions when you come in for an assessment.
- Some, but not all damage can be prevented by using hearing aids. For example, hearing aids will prevent you from cranking your television volume up so loud it becomes harmful. This will prevent further noise-related damage.
Minimize hearing loss – it will benefit you over the long haul
While we know that hearing loss can’t be cured, hearing specialists are working hard to limit additional damage to your hearing. In many instances, hearing loss treatment is one of the best ways to achieve that. The right treatment will help you preserve your current level of hearing and stop it from worsening.
When you wear hearing protection, practice good hygiene, and get hearing loss treatment with us, you’re taking the correct measures to minimize hearing loss while also giving yourself the best chance of healthy hearing in the years to come.