7 Ways to Protect Your Ears and Prevent Hearing Loss

Did you know that once you lose your hearing, it often can’t be restored? Protecting your hearing and ear health can help prevent hearing loss and related ear diseases as you age.

According to the U.S. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, about 15 percent of adults in this country have trouble hearing with one or both ears, with the greatest amount of hearing loss in the 60 to 69 age group.

Fortunately, many common causes of hearing loss can be prevented — and you don’t have to stop doing the things you love! You can keep your ears healthy by protecting them from injury and loud noises, such as concerts and fireworks shows, and staying up to date on immunizations and well visits.

While there is no set hearing screening schedule, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recommends annual hearing tests for adults beginning at age 60 or those at risk for hearing loss, such as people who work in noisy environments. However, if you notice a change in your hearing, or have ringing or fullness in your ears for more than 24 hours, talk to your healthcare provider.

• Avoid loud activities and places whenever possible, such as lawn mowing, power tools and music concerts.
• If you can’t avoid loud noises, wear proper protection. Using hearing protection, such as earplugs or earmuffs, will help filter extreme noises and reduce your risk of hearing loss.
• Keep volume low. Keep noise levels on your devices, such as TV, radio and home sound systems at a comfortable level. If you think it’s too loud and you can hear it from another room, it probably is. Don’t forget to keep your volume down on your headphones and earbuds too.
• Give your ears a break. Give your ears periodic breaks from headphones and other loud noises to reduce your exposure. Also, limit your time exposed to noises above 85 decibels, which can cause hearing loss over time.
• Give ears time to heal. If you’ve been exposed to loud noises, try to spend some time in a quiet environment for at least a day to give your ears time to rest and recover.
• Keep up on immunizations. Some illnesses, such as measles, mumps, whooping cough and bacterial infections, can negatively affect your hearing.
• Don’t put anything in your ears. Do not put anything in your ears, including cotton swabs, which can injure the ear canal or eardrum. Instead, clean your ears with a washcloth over your finger. If you have a buildup of earwax that is affecting your hearing, contact your provider to get it removed. Don’t try to remove it yourself. Source