Generally, when you’re first notice hearing loss (no matter the type), the first thing you should do is attempt to minimize the damage. After all, you can take some easy measures to avoid additional damage and safeguard your ears.
Step 1: Keep Your Ears Clean
Remember learning to make sure you clean behind your ears when you learned general hygiene (or at least should have learned). But it’s actually the inner ear we’re worried about keeping clean in terms of hearing health, not behind the ears.
There are several ways that keeping your ears free from wax can assist your hearing:
- If you have a hearing aid, earwax buildup can hinder its function as well. You may end up thinking that your hearing is going downhill because of this.
- Sound can be blocked from getting into the inner ear when there’s too much wax accumulation. This diminishes your ability to hear.
- Untidy ears increase your chances of developing an ear infection, which causes inflammation that (when severe enough) interferes with your hearing. When your ear infection clears, your regular hearing will usually come back.
- Over time, neglected hearing loss can impact your brain and your ability to interpret sounds.
If you observe earwax buildup, it’s definitely not advisable that you dig around in there with a cotton swab. Added damage can be done by cotton swabs and they will often worsen your ability to hear. Alternatively, use over-the-counter ear drops.
Step 2: Avoid Loud Noises
This one is so intuitive it almost shouldn’t be listed. The issue is that most people are hard-pressed to define what a “loud noise” actually is. For instance, highway driving can be loud enough to damage your hearing over an extended time period. Also, believe it or not, your lawn mower can take a toll on your hearing. Obviously, it’s more than rock concerts or high volume speakers that cause hearing loss.
Here are some ways to stay away from damaging noise:
- When volume levels get too high, an app on your phone can warn you of that.
- Staying away from cranking the volume up on your headphones when you’re listening to music or watching videos. Most phones feature built-in alerts when you’re nearing a dangerous level.
- Using ear protection when noisy environments are unavoidable. Do you work on a noisy factory floor? Do you really want to attend that rock concert? That’s fun. Just wear the required hearing protection. A perfect illustration would be earmuffs and earplugs.
Damage to the ears from noise doesn’t happen all of a sudden, it progresses slowly. So, even if your hearing “feels” fine after a noisy event, it may not be. You can only get a clean bill of health for your ears by a hearing professional.
Step #3: Treat Any Hearing Impairment You Might Have
Hearing impairment accumulates most of the time. So, the sooner you catch the damage, the better you’ll be able to prevent further damage. That’s why getting treated is incredibly important in terms of limiting hearing loss. Effective treatments (on which you follow through) will keep your hearing in the best possible condition.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Hearing aids can stop some, but not all, damage. Hearing aids will, for example, let you listen to music or the TV at a lower volume, preventing damage. Hearing aids will prevent additional degeneration 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 minimize the brain strain and social solitude that exacerbate hearing loss-related health problems.
Decreasing Hearing Loss Will Benefit You in The Long Run
While it’s true that hearing loss can’t be cured, getting treatment for your hearing loss will help prevent additional damage. In many cases, hearing aids are one of the top ways to accomplish that. Getting the correct treatment will not only stop further damage but also keep your present hearing level intact.
When you wear hearing protection, exercise good hygiene, and pursue hearing loss treatment, you’re taking the correct measures to minimize hearing loss while also giving yourself the best chance for healthy hearing in the future.