Woman with hearing loss touching her ear and thinking about preventing further loss.

Generally, when you’re confronted with hearing loss (no matter the type), the first thing you should do is attempt to limit the damage. After all, you can take some basic actions to prevent further damage and safeguard your ears.

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? But it’s actually the inner ear we’re worried about cleaning in terms of hearing health, rather than behind the ears.

There are numerous ways that keeping your ears clear of wax can help your hearing:

  • Your hearing can also be impeded if you get a severe ear infection which can also be a result of unclean ears. Your hearing will return to normal after the ear infection clears.
  • Sound can be blocked from getting into the inner ear when there’s too much wax buildup. As a result, your ability to hear becomes diminished.
  • If you have a hearing aid, earwax accumulation can hinder its function as well. You might end up thinking that your hearing is going downhill because of this.
  • In the long run, untreated hearing loss can affect your brain and your ability to decipher sounds.

You never resort to the use of a cotton swab to try and dig out excess earwax. In most cases, a cotton swab will worsen the situation or cause additional damage. Over the counter ear drops are a smarter opinion.

Step 2: Avoid Loud Noises

This one is so obvious it almost shouldn’t be on the list. The problem is that most people aren’t entirely certain what a “loud noise” actually is. For instance, highway driving can be loud enough to damage your hearing over a long time period. Also, surprisingly, 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 damage your ears.

Some practical ways to avoid damaging noises include:

  • Refraining from turning up the volume on your headphones when you’re listening to music or watching videos. When dangerous volumes are being approached, most phones come with a built in warning.
  • When decibel levels get too loud, an app on your phone can alert you of that.
  • Wearing hearing protection when noisy environments can’t be avoided. Do you work on a loud factory floor? Going to see a rock concert? That’s fun. Just wear the necessary hearing protection. A perfect illustration would be earplugs or earmuffs.

The damage to your ears from loud sounds will build up slowly. So if you’ve attended a loud event, you may have done damage even if you don’t detect it. Only a hearing professional can give your ears a clean bill of health.

Step #3: Treat Any Hearing Loss You May Have

Generally speaking, hearing impairment is cumulative. So catching any damage early on will go a long way to preventing added injury. That’s why getting treated is extremely important in terms of stopping hearing loss. Your hearing will be at the greatest advantage if you seek out and follow through on practical treatment.

Here’s what you can expect:

  • Hearing aids can prevent some, but not all, damage. Hearing aids will, for instance, let you listen to the TV or music at a lower volume, preventing damage. Because hearing aids prevent this damage, they can also prevent further deterioration of your hearing.
  • The chance of developing hearing loss related health problems is reduced by wearing hearing aids because they prevent social solitude and brain strain.
  • We can give individualized instructions and advice to help you avoid further damage to your ears.

Decreasing Hearing Loss Will Benefit You in The Long Run

While it’s true that there’s no cure for hearing loss, getting treatment for your hearing loss will help prevent additional damage. In many cases, hearing aids are one of the principal ways to achieve that. Getting the correct treatment will not only stop additional damage but also keep your present hearing level intact.

Your giving yourself the best chance for healthy hearing into the future by wearing ear protection, getting the correct treatment, and exercising good hearing hygiene.

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The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.

Medical information dates as new research comes out all the time - if you have a concern about your hearing, please call us.

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