5 Ways To Protect Your Hearing

Hearing loss is becoming more and more common in the United States. In fact, according to the Hearing Loss Association of America, about 48 million Americans have some type of hearing loss. The thought of losing one of your most important senses can be scary, so you should take steps to avoid it. Here are five effective ways to protect your hearing:

Stop Smoking

Smoking can do all sorts of bad things to your body, including damaging your hearing. According to a UK study published in the Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology, smokers have a 15.1 percent higher chance of losing their hearing than people who don't smoke. Make an effort to quit this harmful habit and you can preserve your hearing.

Protect Your Ears from Excessive Noise

If your ears are exposed to loud noises for an extended period of time, you are more likely to experience hearing loss. That is why you should always protect your ears before going into a loud environment. For example, if you work in a loud factory, put earplugs in your ears beforehand.

Be Careful About Removing Earwax

Although it is important to get rid of earwax, you must do it the correct way. If you use a cotton swab, for example, you can actually push the wax further into your ear. It is better to use an at-home irrigation kit to remove earwax.

Be Mindful of Medications

One of the medications you take could affect your hearing. Ototoxic medications, such as Aspirin, loop diuretics and anti-inflammatory drugs, can cause permanent hearing damage if you use them regularly, according to WebMD. Talk to your doctor about possibly switching medications.

Don't Listen to Music Too Loudly

It's easy to turn the volume up high when your favorite song comes on, but it is not good for your ears. Listening to music too loudly can do considerable damage to your hearing over time. If you can't hear someone yelling over your music, you have to turn the volume down.

If you follow these helpful tips, you can lower your risk of damaging your hearing. Even if your hearing is good right now, you should still get it tested once a year. A hearing doctor will give you a full exam to make sure your hearing is in good shape. If the doctor detects some hearing loss, he or she will suggest a treatment.

For more information, contact Barth Craig T Ma CCC-a or a similar professional.