8 Simple Ways to Prevent Hearing Loss

Have you ever felt this way? When you're watching TV, you're constantly pressing the "volume up" button on the remote, or you can't hear what people around you are saying properly, and you have to ask them to speak a little louder. This is actually something that happens to many people. There are two main reasons why hearing loss occurs. One is aging. The other is excessive noise . Although there are many myths about this, today we're going to talk about the real reasons and how to protect yourself from them.

The good news is that there are things you can do to prevent hearing loss caused by loud noise and to control the condition from getting worse as you age. So let's take a look at these 8 simple ways to help keep your ears as healthy as possible.

1. Stay away from loud noises as much as possible.

How loud is "excessive noise"? Simply put, if you have to shout louder than the surrounding noise to talk to someone, that's enough to damage your ears . Think of the sound of a bus horn, the sound of a motorcycle on the road, the speakers at a concert, the sound of household tools like drills and saws, and even the sound from your earphones. This loud noise damages the very delicate hair cells inside the ear. These cells are what carry sound vibrations to our brain. Once damaged, they can't be repaired.

2. Try to keep the environment as quiet as possible.

Although this may seem like a difficult thing, small things can make a big difference.

• When buying items for your home, for example, a blender or a washing machine, choose appliances with low noise ratings .
• If the noise in the restaurant or cinema hall you frequent seems too loud, call the manager and politely ask them to turn it down a bit.
• It's worth keeping a pair of earplugs in your bag for emergencies.

3. Limit exposure to loud noise.

Sometimes we can't escape noise. We can't control things like the sound of an ambulance on the road or the sound of a jackhammer during road construction. But you can reduce the amount of time you spend in such places.

For example, if you work in a noisy factory, you should definitely wear earplugs. Also, whenever possible, go to a quiet place and give your ears a break.

4. Wear hearing protection.

If you know you'll be in a loud place for more than a few minutes, be sure to wear ear protection. There are two main types.

If you want even more protection, you can wear both earplugs and earmuffs at the same time.

5. Quit smoking completely.

Research has found that tobacco use also increases the risk of hearing loss. So if you smoke , this is another good reason to quit. Even if you are a non-smoker, avoid breathing in secondhand smoke when someone else is smoking.

6. This is how to properly remove earwax

When earwax builds up, hearing can be reduced. But never use cotton buds to clean your ears . They can push the wax further into your ear. Instead, there are at-home irrigation kits that can soften and rinse out the wax. But the best thing to do is to see your doctor if the wax has accumulated too much and is stuck.

7. Be careful about the medications you take.

There are about 200 medications that can damage your hearing. Some antibiotics and cancer drugs are examples of these. Even aspirin can damage your hearing if taken in high doses. If you are taking a prescription medication, ask your doctor if it can affect your hearing. If you are taking a medication that can damage your hearing, it is important to have your doctor check your hearing and balance before and during treatment.

8. Get your hearing tested.

If you have any of the following, it is wise to get a hearing test .

• If any close relatives in your family have hearing impairments.
• If it's hard to listen even during a normal conversation.
• If you are constantly exposed to loud noise.
• If you constantly hear a "ringing" sound inside your ears.
• If you have never had your ears checked before.

If you have some degree of hearing loss, you can prevent it from getting worse by avoiding loud noises. If the condition is more severe, you may want to consider a hearing aid or other treatment.