Woman getting hearing exam

Tips to Keep Your Ears Healthy

It’s crucial for anyone of any age and hearing ability to practice good ear health. This ensures you will continue to hear your best for many years and never miss any of the sounds that matter to you. Practicing good ear health consists of protecting your hearing, keeping objects out of your ears, and having your hearing checked annually.

Knowing how to take care of your hearing now and in the future will help you to be proactive about your ear health. Follow the tips below to keep hearing – and feeling – your best.

Four Tips for Healthy Ears

Wear hearing protection. To keep your ears safe, it’s important to wear earplugs or custom hearing protection whenever you are exposed to loud noise. Any sound above 80 dB (decibels) is too loud and can cause serious harm to your hearing. Whenever you are around loud noise, such as at a concert, using power tools, or watching fireworks, its important to protect your hearing.

Don’t use cotton swabs in your ears. You may think cotton swabs are made to clean your ears, but they are actually harmful to the eardrum and ear canal. Our ears are naturally self-cleaning, meaning earwax (cerumen) naturally works its way out of the ear canal. Cotton swabs often push the earwax further into the ear canal, causing a build-up. They can also puncture your eardrum or scratch your ear canal if you’re not careful.

Control how loud the volume of your music is. Listening to music at a loud volume can be detrimental to your ears and hearing, especially if you listen through earbuds. To keep your hearing safe, listen to music under 80 dB, as anything above this can result in damage to your hearing. If you listen to live music, then be sure to wear hearing protection such as noise plugs.

Have your hearing checked annually. Regardless of whether you have hearing loss or not, it’s important to receive annual hearing exams to ensure your hearing is healthy. Just like you go to the doctor every year for a physical, you should have your hearing checked regularly as well.

Be Proactive About Your Ear Health

Following these tips will help you keep your ears and your hearing healthy for the years to come. For more helpful tips, schedule an appointment with us today. We can test your hearing, look inside your ears, and help you be proactive about your ear health.