Hearing loss affects approximately 15% of U.S. adults, and your likelihood of developing it only gets higher as you age. While you can’t stop the flow of time, safeguarding against preventable causes of hearing loss will minimize your risk of unnecessary damage.
Let’s look at four essential lifestyle habits to employ for safe hearing care as you age.
Don’t Use Cotton Swabs
Cotton swabs are handy tools for fixing makeup or even cleaning your keyboard, but they should never, under any circumstances, be used to clean your ears. Not only do they not clean your ears, but inserting them into the ear canal can cause wax impaction or even an eardrum tear, both of which can interfere with your hearing.
If you believe earwax is muffling your hearing, call Advantage ENT & Audiology to schedule an ear exam. We can check whether wax is the culprit, clean your ears if needed or teach you safe ways to clean them at home.
Wear Hearing Protection Equipment
We can’t overstate the importance of hearing protection equipment like earplugs or earmuffs. These inexpensive devices sit slightly in or over the ear and act as physical barriers to sound waves. While you will still be able to hear sound, the impact of the sound waves will be significantly softer and less likely to cause permanent damage.
You can grab disposable earplugs at many Wheat Ridge drugstores or order reusable plugs and earmuffs online. Custom earplugs are an excellent option for people who spend a lot of time around loud noise. If you work at construction sites or concert venues, make sure your work provides you with ready access to hearing protection. A good rule of thumb is that if your workplace exposes you to noise equal to or exceeding 85 decibels (dBA) as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA), you should be wearing hearing protection equipment.
Lower the Volume
Protecting your hearing doesn’t mean you need to stop listening to your favorite tunes. It just means that you need to listen responsibly. Set your phone’s volume limit to no more than 80 dB to protect against noise-related hearing loss.
Schedule Regular Hearing Tests
Regular hearing tests ensure that you spot hearing loss as early as possible. Early diagnosis sets you up for treatment where needed and helps you understand the risk factors that could be contributing to hearing damage, allowing you to make changes where necessary.
Contact Advantage ENT & Audiology today to schedule your hearing test.