As you get older, you have to be more careful with your ears, since you become more prone to hearing loss and other ear-related issues. By taking small preventative measures, though, you can help protect your ears in a big way. Follow some of these tips for protecting your ears and hearing listed below.
Wear Earplugs When Necessary
The best to avoid any hearing loss is to wear earplugs. Recognize situations when you will be around loud noises, such as when attending a concert, going to a sporting event, or on a construction site. The noise levels in these venues and areas can reach dangerous levels—always go in prepared with earplugs.
Stop Using Cotton Swabs
A common mistake people tend to make that can result in serious ear damage is using cotton swabs. When you use cotton swabs to clean your ears, it just leads to more ear wax getting stuck farther inside your ear. A safer alternative would be to simply clean the outside of your ears with a warm washcloth.
Turn Down the Volume
A major cause of ear and hearing problems also comes from listening to sounds that are too loud for long periods of time. Therefore, being conscious of the volume on the TV or the music in the car is important to your health because such loud noises can have negative, long-lasting effects.
Keep Your Ears Dry
Water in your ears can also be damaging—this is known as swimmer’s ear. To avoid swimmer’s ear and other infections, dry your ears and get any excess water out of your ears after swimming or taking a bath. Alternatively, you can also wear waterproof earplugs.
See a Doctor
The final tip for protecting your ears and hearing is to see a doctor. If you start to notice that you are having issues with your ears, consult a doctor or an ENT specialist. Regular checkups allow doctors to notice any potential issues with your ears and get the necessary treatment such as like ear tube placement surgery. A doctor can also give you ear drops, medicine, or other forms of treatment for your ears that can be beneficial.
