Seven tips to improve ear health

Most people often prioritize the wellness of their skin, eyes, and other organs, while overlooking one of the most vital parts of the body; the ears. Meanwhile, paying attention to the health of your ear is crucial for our overall well-being.

According to the World Health Organization, about 360 million people suffer from some degree of hearing impairment ( 328 million adults and 32 million children). With prevalence to sub Saharan Africa and 8.5 million Nigerians.

However, taking the right steps henceforth can help reduce your risk of hearing loss.

Without further ado, here are the essential dos and don’ts of maintaining good ear health.

• Practice safe listening habits

In this age, most people now use headphones or earbuds to distract themselves from reality.

However, while using these buds, make sure to keep the volume at a moderate level to prevent noise-induced hearing loss.

Listening to loud music or volume can damage your hearing, especially when using earbuds that sit directly next to your eardrum.

So reducing the volume and limiting prolonged usage can improve your ear health.

• Avoid inserting objects into the ear canal

Never insert cotton buds, hairpins, or any other objects into your ear canal.

When you want to clean your ears be extra conscious, careful, and avoid using sharp or pointed objects. As these objects may injure the ear canal or eardrum and can even push wax deeper, irritate the ear canal, or cause injury.

Also using cotton buds is a common but inadvisable way to remove earwax. Earwax is normal and self-cleans the ear, preventing dust and particles from getting in.

So inserting buds or tissues in the ear could cause serious harm to the ear drum and canal with the potential for temporary or even permanent damage.

• Keep the ear dry

It is also important to always keep the ear dry to prevent ear infections called otitis media.

Otitis media is an outer ear infection that is caused when there is water residue inside the ear canal, so it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.

To avoid this, always dry your ears thoroughly after bathing or swimming, as excess moisture can cause bacterial build-up, compromising the ear canal.

If you sense water residue, drain your ear by tilting your head to one side.

• Avoid prolonged exposure to loud noises

Loud noises that emanate from power tools, concerts, construction sites, and firearms can all gradually lead to hearing loss, especially when you’re exposed to them on a regular basis.

Be sure to always use ear protection such as earplugs and earmuffs if you are constantly going to be in a noisy environment. As exposure to these noises can lead to noise-induced hearing loss or tinnitus.

Also, be mindful of the noise levels in your environment and take necessary precautions.

• Avoid ignoring any ear pain or discomfort

Whenever you experience ear pain, fullness of the ear, drainage, or signs of infection; don’t hesitate to seek medical attention promptly.

Treatment for ear problems should not be delayed as the pain won’t improve without the right treatment.

The longer you leave an ear problem, the longer it may take to treat it. So seek professional help and avoid self-medication.

• Give your ears a break

You read right, just like the other part of the body, the ears also need breaks to function well.

This is mostly related to people who are constantly exposed to loud noise from environmental sources, concerts, and so on.

The noises from these sources have the potential to cause temporary or permanent hearing loss.

So when in a very loud environment, take frequent breaks by stepping outside to separate yourself from the noise, even if it is just for five minutes.

After the event, try to spend time in a quiet environment for at least one day to allow your ears to rest and recover.

Research has found that you need about 16-48 hours of quiet rest to recover from the previous noise.

• Visit the doctors for regular ear check-ups

Just like every other part of your body, your ears also need a periodic check-ups by professionals.

Hearing screening and exams are important as they help quickly detect hearing loss and promote instant treatment.

You should get recommendations and advice from your medical professional as hearing tests are done according to the person’s risk and environment.

Take care of your ears. Always take preventative measures to stay ahead of hearing loss.