Hearing loss can occur naturally with age, but there are many bad habits and poor life decisions that can also damage our hearing. Here are just five ways in which you may be damaging your hearing without knowing.
Listening to music too loud
Regularly listening to loud music could be causing damage to your ears. This could include listening to music loudly on speakers or on headphones. Ringing in the ears after listening to music is a clear sign that you’re listening to your music too loudly and causing damage. Turn down the volume a notch if you’ve noticed this.
Not wearing ear protection in loud environments
Certain loud environments can also cause hearing damage if you don’t wear ear protection. Rock concerts, motorsports events and construction sites are just a few examples. If you’re in this environment for work reasons, your employer may be legally entitled to supply ear protection. If it’s a leisure activity, then it’s your responsibility to wear ear protection. There are cool ear plugs on the market that can protect your hearing and ensure sound clarity (great for concerts!).
Using cotton buds to clean your ears
Many people use cotton buds to clean out their ears, but this can actually cause hearing problems in the long run. Cotton buds tend to push ear wax further into the ear canal, which can then cause blockages resulting in muffled hearing. It’s also possible to damage the ear canals and ear drum causing permanent damage. As a rule, never stick anything into your ears. It’s healthy to have some wax in your ears, but if you’ve got a large wax build-up, you’re better off using ear drops or asking your doctor to get it professionally removed.
Not wearing a hearing aid when you need one
Once hearing loss has started to occur, it could be a wise idea to see an audiologist and get yourself a hearing aid fitted. Wearing a hearing aid will ease the strain on your ear and could slow down or even stop any further hearing loss. There are lots of different hearing aids out there which you can learn more about online. Some hide behind the ear and are pretty much unnoticeable.
Ignoring an ear infection
Ear infections can occur for various reasons. While some infections will go away on their own, others can spread and cause lasting damage to your ears. An infection following a perforated eardrum can be particularly serious, possibly causing permanent and severe hearing loss. A few signs that you possibly have an ear infection include dizziness, hearing loss, earache and a sense of fullness in the ear. You should see a doctor immediately if you suspect you have an infection – they will be able to prescribe the best course of treatment.