You want to avoid earbuds if possible because they sit so close the eardrum, causing more damage than over-the-ear headphones!
Hearing loss is a very common problem and once your hearing is damaged, there is no going back. That is why it is so important to take the necessary precautions to protect your hearing so that you don’t have to invest in hearing aids in the future. Here are five easy tips to help you protect your ears.
Ear Plugs
Noise-induced hearing loss typically occurs due to loud leisure or work environments. An easy way to prevent this from happening is to use earplugs when you know that you are going to be around loud noises. If you work at a construction site, it is a good idea to use earplugs. In addition, if you are going to a loud concert, club, or doing something like mowing the lawn, earplugs are a great way to protect your ears.
Turn Down the Volume
In this modern age of technology, hearing loss is on the rise due to loud headphones. An easy way to protect your ears is to keep the volume of your music down to a reasonable level. A good rule of thumb is to never exceed 60% volume and don’t listen to headphones for more than 60 minutes a day. Also, over-the-ear headphones are better than earbuds because of their proximity to the eardrum.
Recovery Time
If you are in a loud environment for an extended period of time, don’t hesitate to take breaks from the noise. Stepping outside for even five minutes at a time is a good way to help protect your ears from damage. Studies show that your ears need about 16 hours of quiet after being in a loud environment for a day.
Cotton Swabs
A lot of people think that cotton swabs were made for cleaning our ears, but that is actually not the case. Ears are self-cleaning organs and we are supposed to have some wax so that dust and other particles can’t get inside of our ears. Using cotton swabs can push the wax further into our ears and can damage organs such as the eardrum.
Keep Dry
Having excess moisture buildup in your ears can cause bacteria to build up and attack the ear canal, which can damage your ears and hearing. This causes conditions such as swimmers ear and other infections. After swimming or taking a shower, be sure to towel-dry your ears. If you can feel water in your ear, tilt your head to the side to try and get the water out.
Contact Bay Area Audiology Today for Your Hearing Evaluation!
If you are concerned about hearing loss or seeking hearing evaluations, tinnitus evaluations, or hearing aid assistance, our doctors are ready to help. We are passionate about helping all of our patients improve their quality of life through better hearing. We also believe that patient education is critical, so you won’t be lead through endless sales pitches at our office. If you are interested in hearing how we can help you hear even better, contact us at (410) 838-4327 or online. For more hearing tips and articles, follow Bay Area Audiology on Facebook,Twitter,Google+, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.