7 Ways to Protect Your Ears and Hearing Health

It’s no secret that our ears and hearing health is important. We use our ears every day to communicate with others, enjoy music and stay safe. Therefore, it’s crucial to protect our ears from damage so we can keep enjoying all of the things we love for years to come. This blog will discuss seven ways you can protect your ears and hearing health.

Avoid Loud Noises

The first and most important thing you can do to protect your ears is to avoid loud noises whenever possible. Loud noise causes damage to your hearing over time by disrupting the delicate hair cells in your inner ear. The louder the noise, the higher the risk of damage.

Noise can be measured in decibels. Generally, any noise level over 85 decibels (dBs) is considered loud and potentially damaging to the ears. Sounds of car horns, motorcycles and loud music are all examples of noises that can cause damage over time. To protect your ears from noise damage, try to avoid exposing them to sounds higher than 85dBs.

Get Your Ears Cleaned

Another way to protect your ears and hearing health is to get your ears cleaned regularly. Wax buildup in the ear can cause a blockage that leads to temporary hearing loss as well as pain and discomfort. To prevent this, it’s important to clean your ears with a soft cloth at least once per week.

If you have any type of infection or irritation in your ears, it’s best to visit an audiologist for professional cleaning and advice. In addition, an audiologist can determine if there is any damage caused by wax buildup and provide treatment options if necessary.

Monitor Medication Use

Certain medications can also cause hearing loss over time, so it’s important to monitor your medications. For example, some antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs and diuretics can all cause damage to the inner ear if used for too long or in high doses.

If you are worried about any of your medications affecting your hearing health, it’s best to talk to your pharmacist about potential side effects. They can help you determine which medications may be causing the issue and suggest alternative options that won’t affect your hearing.

Eat Healthily

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is also essential for your overall health and hearing health. Studies have shown that certain nutrients can protect the delicate hair cells in your inner ear from damage. Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, C, and E, zinc, magnesium and potassium can help prevent hearing loss over time.

These nutrients can be found in foods such as fish, nuts and seeds, dark leafy greens, beans and legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Adding these types of foods to your diet can help reduce the risk of hearing loss due to nutrient deficiency or age-related decline.

Get a Baseline Hearing Test

Getting a baseline hearing test is important to protect your ears and hearing health. A baseline test checks your current hearing ability so that any changes in your hearing can be detected early on. These changes may indicate the presence of an underlying condition or disease that needs attention.

Having a baseline hearing test also lets you know what type of ear protection or assistive devices you may need if your hearing starts to decline. This can help ensure that you are able to continue enjoying activities such as music and conversation without difficulty.

Monitor your Stress Levels

Stress can affect your overall health, including your hearing health. For example, high levels of stress or anxiety can cause tinnitus, which is a ringing or buzzing sound in the ears that can interfere with your ability to hear. Also, stress has been linked to an increased risk for age-related hearing loss and noise-induced hearing loss.

Give Your Ears Time to Rest

Finally, one of the best ways to protect your ears and hearing health is to give them a break from time to time. After extended periods of loud noise or other stimulating sounds, it’s essential to give your ears some quiet time for at least 15 minutes per day to allow them to rest and recover.

This can be done by wearing earplugs or noise-canceling headphones in noisy environments like airplanes or traffic. You can also find quiet spaces such as libraries, parks or nature trails where you can relax for a few hours each week without any background noise. Taking regular breaks from loud noises will help reduce the risk of damage to your ears over time.

Protecting your ears and hearing health is essential to ensure that you can continue enjoying activities such as listening to music or having conversations with friends and family. By following these seven steps, you can ensure that your ears stay healthy for years to come. If your ears give you trouble, do not hesitate to contact Big Thicket Hearing Aids & Audiology at (409) 751-2590.