If you want healthy ears, listen carefully.
Healthy hearing is important for overall health, and if hearing loss is not prevented or treated, it can lead to feelings of social isolation, depression, anxiety, and lack of self-confidence. It is also associated with changes in cognition, including an increased risk of dementia in older adults.
Read on to learn more about expert tips for preventing and resolving damage to your ears.
Always carry earplugs
“We cannot turn back time, but we cannot turn back time, Protect our ears Excessive noise can cause hearing loss.” Dr. Daniel ZethanamestAssociate Professor and Director of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department of Otology, Neurotology, “If you’re going to be exposed to very loud noises for a long period of time, like at a music venue, you should wear ear protection,” Langone, a professor of skull base surgery at NYU, told The Post.
While many people think twice about bringing earplugs to a concert or sporting event, experts agree that carrying them can help prevent damage in less obvious or unexpected situations.
“If you're using power tools or lawn equipment, or if you need to raise your voice so that someone within arm's reach can hear you, you should wear ear gear in the form of formable or custom-fit inserts (ear plugs) or ear muffs,” Zethanamest said.
Never fly in a crowded place
Dr. Bradley B. Block, an otolaryngologist and host of the “Physician's Guide to Doctoring” podcast, told HuffPost He never flies when he feels his stomach is full.
Block recommends using decongestants to improve nasal function to avoid air travel. He also urges patients to purchase special ear plugs for travel, which help the ear adapt to changes in air pressure.
If you experience hearing loss, treat it immediately
“Numerous studies have linked untreated hearing loss to depression, anxiety, social isolation, and an increased risk of falls,” otolaryngologist Dr. Srikanth Cherukuri told HuffPost.
Whether you experience gradual hearing loss or a sudden change, it is imperative to seek medical care,”Because hearing loss is an invisible illness,
Do not listen to loud music through earbuds
Dr. Robert SataloffThe professor and chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Drexel University College of Medicine told HuffPost that personal listening devices have been causing hearing problems since the advent of the Sony Walkman.
“Some newer devices have sound limits, so they can't harm our ears. However, if you're listening to music through earbuds and the music is loud enough that the person sitting next to you knows what you're listening to, it's potentially dangerous.”
Don't clean your ears
Block put a strong X mark on Q-tips and explained that removing that protective wax can lead to otitis externa, or swimmer's ear.
“Ears are self-cleaning. The body has a system for making and excreting wax, and if wax is left alone it usually won't build up. The purpose of wax is to protect the ears from water, so removing it will make the ears more vulnerable to water damage.”
Dr. Tonia L. Farmer, also known as Dr. Knows Best, said in a TikTok that cotton swab”They weren't actually made to clean your ears – They simply push the wax deeper into your ear canal, and this causes an ear blockage.” Cotton swaps can also scratch the ear canal or damage the eardrum.
