Simple Habits for Maintaining Hearing Wellness

Your hearing impacts everything from your ability to communicate to your health in general. Despite that, many individuals don’t even consider what’s going on with their ears until a family member or friend notice the first signs of hearing loss.

If you are experiencing hearing loss it is important to contact an audiologist. When recognizing you have hearing loss early on, you will be able to find the right treatment for you and this will help to prevent your hearing loss from getting worse. Whether you already wear hearing aids and simply want to look after your ears better or you’re getting ahead with preventative measures against hearing loss, consider the following crucial steps for maintaining hearing wellness.

Wear Ear Protection

The use of noise-canceling headphones or earplugs in loud environments like the workplace, music concerts or anywhere you can expect to be exposed to noise levels higher than 120 decibels for any length of time can help to protect your hearing from noise-induced hearing loss. It’s also worth remembering that noise-induced hearing loss often happens as a result of exposure to loud noises over time, making it worthwhile to use these protections in the long term to ensure maximum hearing wellness.

Practice Good Ear Hygiene

While you should avoid putting foreign objects like cotton buds inside your ear, maintaining good ear hygiene can help to prevent infections. The best ear hygiene practices include cleaning the outside of your ears with a soft cloth and some warm water. You should always avoid getting water inside your ear and should make sure to dry your ears thoroughly to prevent bacteria growth. If you regularly experience a buildup of earwax, you can also improve ear hygiene and your hearing health in general, through professional earwax removals with an audiologist.

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

Your physical health often has an impact on your hearing health, so hearing wellness is also dependent on living a healthy lifestyle. You should aim to stay physically active, as exercise can help to ensure good blood flow and circulation which may aid ear function. Equally, there’s now evidence linking smoking and drinking to hearing loss. If you smoke or drink limiting these exposures with help to not only maintain a healthy lifestyle but protect your ears as well.

Get Regular Check-ups

Periodic ear examinations can make a difference to overall hearing health and should ideally happen at least once every 10 years if you are not experiencing hearing loss, or every three to five years if you are experiencing hearing loss. At these checkups, an audiologist can conduct a range of diagnostic tests to identify any potential hearing loss early on. They can then suggest any suitable treatment, including wearing hearing aids or other assistive devices which can help to prevent any further hearing loss. If it’s been ten years or more since your last checkup, then you shouldn’t hesitate to schedule an appointment to ensure your hearing wellness today.