In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, our ears frequently bear the brunt of neglect and accidental harm. From the allure of ear candling to the seemingly harmless act of utilizing cotton swabs, our hearing health can suffer from these prevalent yet dangerous practices. What follows are a few practices you can use to help protect the health of your hearing.
Say good by to ear candling
In spite of the complete lack of scientific merit, the ancient practice of trying to eliminate earwax has recently achieved some popularity. It’s believed that a vacuum is created when a hollow ear candle is inserted into your ear canal and the wick at the other end is lit theoretically drawing impurities out. However, numerous studies have debunked this practice, highlighting its ineffectiveness and potential risks.
You may be putting your hearing in jeopardy by employing a practice that won’t even remove any earwax. Burns to the sensitive ear structures, perforated eardrums, and aggravation of existing problems can all be consequences of this practice. Normally, if you see any wax after ear candling, it will be from the candle itself rather than your ears.
Medical professionals always warn against ear candling because of these findings. Both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Academy of Otolaryngology (AAO) warn against this practice, emphasizing safer alternatives for ear hygiene.
Get rid of the cotton swabs
The allure of cotton swabs for ear cleaning is indisputable, with many individuals turning to these seemingly innocuous tools for maintenance. However, contrary to popular belief, inserting cotton swabs into the ear canal poses more dangers than advantages. Instead of effectively eliminating earwax, swabs can accidentally pack wax deeper into the ear canal, resulting in impaction and possible injury.
The delicate nature of the eardrum makes it vulnerable to damage from foreign objects, including cotton swabs. Pain, infection, and hearing impairment can all be the results of perforations or abrasions of the eardrum. It would be better to seek professional help if necessary or otherwise rely on your ear’s self-cleaning ability rather than putting any object in the ear.
Mind the volume: safeguard against loud noise
It’s a loud world we live in and our ears are continuously being assaulted by sounds of all different volume levels. From bustling city streets to leisure activities like concerts and sporting events, exposure to loud sound is ubiquitous. Over-exposure to loud sounds like these can have detrimental effects on your hearing health leading to tinnitus and noise-related hearing loss.
It’s essential to utilize hearing protection and, if possible, avoid overly loud settings in order to prevent damage. Whenever you can’t steer clear of very loud noise, protection such as earplugs and earmuffs should be utilized.
Also, take frequent breaks and moderate the volume when you’re using personal listening devices like headphones and earpods.
Listen to your ears: act quickly on symptoms
Taking fast action when your ears begin to tell you that you’re starting to encounter some level of hearing loss is essential to protect your ears from harm. Despite the availability of advanced treatments, including hearing aids, holding off on intervention can worsen hearing loss and complicate treatment.
It’s imperative to identify common signs of hearing loss, such as trouble understanding speech, ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus), or a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears. Schedule an appointment with us as soon as possible if you experience any of these symptoms. Early detection and intervention can substantially improve outcomes and improve your quality of life.
Your ability to successfully navigate the landscape of your life is dependent on you keeping your hearing as healthy as you can. We can maintain our healthy hearing by avoiding cotton swabs and ear candles, safeguarding our ears against loud noise, and recognizing early warning symptoms.
If you think that you may be experiencing any symptoms of hearing loss, call us today for an appointment.
