If you want healthy ears, listen closely.
Healthy hearing is vital to overall well-being, and if hearing loss is not prevented or treated, it can lead to feelings of social isolation, depression, anxiety, and loss of confidence. It’s also tied to changes in cognition, including an increased risk of dementia in older adults.
Read on to learn more about expert suggestions for preventing and addressing damage to your ears.
Always carry earplugs
“We can’t turn back the clock, but we can protect our ears from excessive noise that can accelerate hearing loss,” Dr. Daniel Jethanamest, associate professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery and director of the Division of Otology, Neurotology, and Skull Base Surgery at NYU Langone told The Post. “If you’re going to be around very loud sounds for an extended amount of time, such as at a music venue, you should wear ear protection.”
While many people would think to bring earplugs to a concert or sporting event, experts agree that having them on hand can prevent damage in less obvious or unplanned situations.
“If you’re using power tools or lawn equipment, or if you have to raise your voice to be heard by someone within arm’s reach, you should wear ear gear in the form of formable or custom-fit inserts (ear plugs) or ear muffs,” Jethanamest said.
Never fly congested
Dr. Bradley B. Block, an otolaryngologist and host of the “Physician’s Guide to Doctoring” podcast, told HuffPost that he never flies when he’s feeling stuffed up.
Block recommends using a decongestant to improve nasal function if air travel is unavoidable. He also urges patients to purchase travel-specific ear plugs that help the ear adjust to changes in air pressure.
Address hearing loss as soon as it happens
“Numerous studies have linked untreated hearing loss to higher risk of depression, anxiety, social isolation, and increased risk of falls,” otolaryngologist Dr. Sreekant Cherukuri told HuffPost.
Whether you experience gradual hearing loss or a sudden change, it is imperative to seek medical care, “because hearing loss tends to be an invisible disease.”
Don’t listen to loud music through earbuds
Dr. Robert Sataloff, a professor and chair 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 issues since the advent of the Sony Walkman.
“Some of the newer devices have sound limiters, so they can’t damage our ears. However, if you are listening through earbuds and the music is loud enough that the person next to you knows what you’re listening to, it’s potentially dangerous.”
Don’t clean your ears
Block puts a firm X on Q-tips, and explained that removing that protective wax can lead to otitis externa or swimmer’s ear.
“The ears are self-cleaning. The body has a system for making wax and pushing it out, and wax usually will not accumulate if left alone. The purpose of wax is to protect the ears from water, so removing it will leave the ears vulnerable to water damage.”
Dr. Tonia L. Farmer, who goes by Dr. Nose Best, said in a TikTok that cotton swabs “really weren’t made to clean your ears — all they do is just push the wax deeper down into your ear canal, and this causes an impaction.” Cotton swaps can also scratch the ear canal or damage the eardrum.
