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

The first thing to do, when you begin to recognize that you have hearing loss, is to eliminate further damage. There are, after all, some simple steps you can take to protect your hearing and minimize further hearing loss.

Step 1: Clean Your Ears

Did you clean behind your ears? It’s one of those early hygiene lessons you learn (or should have learned), right? But it’s actually the inner ear we’re concerned with keeping clean in terms of hearing health, not behind the ears.

Keeping your ears free from wax buildup can help your hearing in several distinctive ways:

  • When wax buildup becomes substantial, it can stop sound from getting into your inner ear. As a result, your hearing becomes diminished.
  • Earwax buildup also interferes with the operation of your hearing aid if you use one. This might make it seem like your hearing is getting worse.
  • Your hearing can also be impeded if you get a severe ear infection which can also be a result of dirty ears. Your hearing will go back to normal after the ear infection clears.
  • Over time, untreated hearing loss can affect your brain and your ability to interpret sounds.

You never turn to the use of a cotton swab to attempt to dig out built up earwax. In most cases, a cotton swab will worsen the situation or cause additional damage. Over the counter ear drops are a smarter choice.

Step 2: Avoid Loud Noises

This one is so instinctive it almost shouldn’t be listed. But determining how loud is too loud is the real difficulty for most individuals. For example, freeway driving can be loud enough to damage your hearing over an extended period of time. Also, surprisingly, your lawn mower can take a toll on your ears. Clearly, it’s more than rock concerts or high volume speakers that cause hearing damage.

Some practical ways to escape harmful noises include:

  • Using ear protection when noisy environments are unavoidable. Do you work on a loud factory floor? Going to see a rock concert? That’s fun. Just use the required ear protection. A perfect example would be earplugs or earmuffs.
  • When decibel levels get too high, an app on your phone can alert you of that.
  • When you’re listening to music or watching videos keep the volume on your headphones at a manageable volume. When harmful levels are being approached, most phones feature a built in warning.

Damage to the ears from noise doesn’t happen abruptly, it progresses slowly. So if you’ve been to a noisy event, you could have done damage even if you don’t realize it. You can only get a clean bill of health for your ears by a hearing specialist.

Step #3: If You Have Any Hearing Impairment – Get it Treated

Hearing loss accumulates most of the time. So, the earlier you recognize the damage, the better you’ll be able to prevent additional damage. So when it comes to slowing down hearing loss, treatment is so significant. Practical treatments (on which you follow through) will keep your hearing in the best possible condition.

Here’s what you can expect:

  • Some, but not all damage can be prevented by using hearing aids. Hearing aids will, for instance, allow you to listen to the TV or music at a lower volume, avoiding damage. Because hearing aids prevent this damage, they can also prevent further decline of your hearing.
  • The chance of developing hearing loss related health problems is diminished by wearing hearing aids because they minimize social isolation and brain strain.
  • We can provide individualized instructions and advice to help you avoid further damage to your ears.

You Will be Benefited in The Long Run by Decreasing Hearing Loss

Even though it’s true that hearing loss can’t be cured, getting treatment for your hearing loss will help stop additional damage. One of the principal ways to do that, in many instances, is hearing aids. The appropriate treatment will help you preserve your present level of hearing and stop it from worsening.

When you use hearing protection, engage in good hygiene, and pursue hearing loss treatment, you’re taking the proper measures to limit hearing loss while also giving yourself the best chance for healthy hearing in the future.

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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.
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