The first thing to do, when you begin to identify that you have hearing loss, is to eliminate further damage. There are, after all, some straightforward measures you can take to protect your hearing and limit further hearing loss.
Step 1: Keep Your Ears Clean
Did you clean behind your ears? It’s one of those first hygiene lessons you learn (or should have learned), right? In terms of hearing health, though, we’re not concerned with the space behind your ears, but rather your inner ears.
Keeping your ears free from wax accumulation can help your hearing in many distinctive ways:
- When wax buildup becomes severe, it can prevent sound from getting into your inner ear. Consequently, your ability to hear becomes diminished.
- If you have a hearing aid, earwax buildup can interfere with its function as well. This may make it seem as though your hearing is getting worse.
- Untidy ears raise your chances of developing an ear infection, which produces inflammation that (when serious enough) impedes your hearing. When your ear infection goes away, your normal hearing will normally return.
- Your brain and ability to interpret sound will inevitably be affected by untreated hearing loss.
If you observe earwax buildup, it’s absolutely not recommended that you dig around in there with a cotton swab. Additional damage can be caused by cotton swabs and they will frequently make it even harder to hear. Alternatively, use over-the-counter ear drops.
Step 2: Avoid Loud Noises
This one is so obvious it almost shouldn’t be listed. The problem is that most people aren’t entirely certain what a “loud noise” actually is. Over an extended time period, for instance, your hearing can be damaged by driving on a busy freeway. Also, surprisingly, your lawn mower can take a toll on your ears. Clearly, it’s more than rock concerts or loud speakers that cause hearing damage.
Some practical ways to escape damaging noises include:
- When decibel levels get too loud, an app on your phone can warn you of that.
- Staying away from cranking up the volume on your headphones when you’re watching videos or listening to music. Most phones include built-in warnings when you’re approaching a dangerous level.
- When you can’t avoid loud environments, wear hearing protection. Do you work on a loud factory floor? Going to see a rock concert? That’s cool. Just use the required hearing protection. Contemporary earmuffs and earplugs supply ample protection.
Damage to the ears from noise doesn’t develop suddenly, it progresses slowly. So if you’ve been to a noisy event, you might have done damage even if you don’t notice it. You can only get a clean bill of health for your ears by a hearing professional.
Step #3: Treat Any Hearing Loss You Might Have
Generally speaking, hearing impairment is cumulative. So, the sooner you recognize the damage, the better you’ll be capable of preventing further damage. That’s why getting treated is tremendously important in terms of decreasing hearing loss. Your hearing will be at the greatest advantage if you find and follow through on practical treatment.
Here’s how treatments work:
- Hearing aids can prevent some, but not all, damage. Hearing aids will, for example, allow you to listen to the TV or music at a lower volume, preventing damage. Because hearing aids counter this damage, they can also stop further decline of your hearing.
- Hearing aids prevent the brain strain and social solitude that exacerbate hearing loss-related health problems.
- We can give personalized guidance and advice to help you avoid added damage to your hearing.
You Will be Benefited in The Long Run by Limiting Hearing Loss
Even though we can’t cure hearing loss, further damage can be prevented with treatment. One of the primary ways to do that, in many cases, is hearing aids. Getting the proper treatment will not only stop additional damage but also keep your current hearing level intact.
When you use hearing protection, exercise good hygiene, and pursue hearing loss treatment, you’re taking the proper measures to minimize hearing loss while also giving yourself the best chance for healthy hearing in the future.