Hearing Clear: How to Look After Your Ears Properly
Many people neglect their hearing and the health of their ears. But this is a big mistake, and it’s one that you should be sure not to make. There are lots of small things that you can do to look after your ears each day. It doesn’t take much effort; it’s just about being aware of the dangers out there. By being more proactive, you can protect your ears and your hearing for years to come.
Your hearing is one of those things that you don’t really appreciate until there is a problem with it. So, even if you hear clearly now, don’t take that for granted. Instead, start thinking about what you can do to look after your ears that little bit better. Here are some of the things you should do.
Be Careful When Cleaning Them
You need to be very careful indeed when it comes to keeping your ears clean. Avoid using ear swabs that you insert into your ears. These can damage your eardrum if you’re not careful, and that could lead to permanent hearing loss. It’s best to keep them dry at all times too. You can buy ear wax softener which you can insert into your ear. This will break down wax if there is a blockage. It will do the job for you without you having to poke around in there with anything solid.
Have Your Hearing Tested
Having your hearing tested regularly is vital if you want to keep on top of your ear health. Only a trained professional will be able to tell you what you’re doing right and where you’re going wrong. They will also be able to confront any problems with your ears or hearing immediately. This should prevent the problems from getting worse and causing you even bigger problems. If they do find a problem, they’ll be able to put it right, which is better than the alternative. Ignoring your problems never helps. They might be able to clean your ears better or give you hearing amplifiers.
Manage Your Stress Levels
It’s a little-known fact, but stress actually has a direct impact on hearing conditions. For example, people who suffer sustained periods of stress are more likely to get tinnitus. This is a condition that causes you to hear a ringing sound in your ears even when there is no noise around. It’s a hearing condition that can be permanent or temporary. So, it’s a good idea to confront the stress you’re experiencing. Of course, there are all kinds of other problems that can be caused by stress too. See your doctor and discuss the problem if you need to.
Turn the Volume Down
We all hear loud noises each day. Often, they are coming from our sound systems or televisions. You should think about how these everyday items could be having an impact on your health. It makes sense to turn the TV down a little or play your music a bit more quietly. Even a slight decrease in volume could be a good thing for your ears. There is no need to expose them to higher levels of noise for no reason. In the end, this will only have a negative impact on them and cause you hearing problems in the future.
Wear Protectors When Necessary
Protecting your ears is vital when they are being exposed to very high levels of noise. It doesn’t matter what is causing the noise. What matters is that your ears are not damaged because of it. So, if you do a job that requires you to work with or near noisy equipment or machinery, wear protectors. These should be provided for you by your employer. If they’re not, find out how you can get some. Your health and safety need to be cared for in the workplace, so don’t ignore your rights. The same applies if you play an instrument regularly.
Give Your Ears the Chance to Rest and Recover
When your ears have been exposed to loud noises, it’s important to give them time to recover. Not many people realise that this is something that their ears need. But experts say that to recover from 2 hours’ worth of exposure to loud noises, your ears need 16 hours of rest. If they don’t get that quiet period of recovery, they will be more likely to sustain long-term damage. That could lead to hearing loss if the pattern is repeated. So, whenever you are exposed to loud noises or music, spend the next day relaxing your ears and keeping the volume low.