Imagine what it would be like if you could no longer hear anything! You could no longer sing along to your favourite song. You could no longer hear what your friends have to say when you catch up for a coffee. You could no longer listen to your favourite television show. It sounds horrible, right?
Well, for a lot of people, this is a reality. Don’t start looking after your hearing health when it is too late; start today! Read on to discover some of the different ways you can look after your hearing health.
Try to lead a healthy lifestyle – It is important to try and lead a healthy lifestyle. This means following a balanced diet and exercising regularly. This is vital in terms of maintaining normal blood pressure levels. If your blood pressure is too high, it could cause ringing, discomfort, and pain in the ears.
Maintain good ear hygiene – You also need to look after your ears and maintain good hygiene. A lot of people clean the wax out of their ears with cotton buds, but this is not advised for a number of reasons. Firstly, a little bit of wax is not a bad thing. It is there to protect your ears, stopping dust and debris from clogging up inside. You could damage the eardrum or ear canal if you remove earwax. Of course, if the wax is excessive, this is a different matter altogether, but even still; you should speak to a doctor regarding the best way to remove it. Not only this, but cotton buds can often create further blockages, as they simply push wax further into your ear.
Be mindful of loud noises – Some loud noises are unavoidable. However, you do need to be mindful of your ears at all times. You should not listen to music consistently with headphones for over an hour. Taking a five-minute break, at a minimum, is a necessity. Moreover, if you work in a loud environment, such as on a farm or at a nightclub, make sure you have the correct PPE to protect your ears. This is something your employer is responsible for. Nevertheless, this does not mean you should simply assume everything is being taken care of; if you feel you do not have the adequate protection, speak up. If you are at a loud event, you should also be mindful of the impact this will have on your ears. It is advisable that you give yourself at least 18 hours to recover if you have been to a loud event like a concert. Moreover, while at such events, avoid being next to the loud speakers, and take regular breaks so you can give your ears a rest from the sound.
Protect your ears while enjoying water sports – Are you a fan of being in the water? From diving and surfing to water skiing and swimming, it is vital to protect your ears from the water so you can stop water from entering the ear canal. It is, therefore, a good idea to use earplugs, especially if you are someone that suffers from ear infections.
Get a hearing test as soon as you notice any symptoms – Last but not least, as soon as you notice any symptoms that indicate you could be suffering from some sort of hearing problem, you need to book a check up. It is important to check your hearing if you have started having to listen to the TV at a much higher volume, if people sound like they are mumbling all of the time, and if you can hear ringing in your ears. The longer you leave such problems, the worse they may become, so it is important to act on them as soon as possible.
If you follow the advice that has been provided, you can make sure you look after your hearing health so that you do not suffer hearing loss in the future. Of course, there are cases of hearing loss that simply cannot be helped. However, a lot of cases are preventable too, so it is important to take care of yourself so that you can listen to your favourite songs and your favourite shows for many years to come.
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