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It’s easy to take our hearing for granted, especially when busy with everyday demands. However, certain habits we engage in regularly can have long-term effects on our hearing health. While some hearing loss may come naturally with age, many everyday activities could speed up the process and worsen the condition.
One of the most common habits that could harm hearing is listening to music too loudly, especially through headphones or earbuds. These devices make it convenient to enjoy music, podcasts, and videos on the go, but this convenience comes with the risk of damage. When music or other sounds are played too loudly, they can harm the sensitive structures in the inner ear, leading to noise-induced hearing loss. Over time, this damage can be irreversible.
A simple way to prevent this is by following the 60/60 rule: keep the volume at no more than 60% of the maximum level and limit listening to 60 minutes at a time. Choosing over-ear headphones instead of earbuds can also reduce the risk, as earbuds sit closer to the eardrum and can amplify sound more directly.
Skipping Ear Protection at Noisy Events
Concerts, sporting events, and even loud work environments can expose your ears to dangerously high sound levels. While these events are fun, repeated exposure to loud noises can affect your hearing. Noise-induced hearing loss is often gradual, so you may not notice it until it’s too late.
The good news is that protecting your ears is easy. Earplugs designed for musicians or noise-reducing earmuffs can significantly lower the impact of loud environments. Keeping a pair of earplugs handy can make all the difference when you find yourself in a noisy situation. It’s a small habit that can have a big impact on your long-term hearing health.
Using Cotton Swabs in Your Ears
Cleaning your ears with cotton swabs is a common practice, but it’s one that could do more harm than good. Pushing a cotton swab into your ear canal can damage the delicate eardrum or push earwax deeper, leading to blockages or infections. These issues can affect your hearing and even cause temporary hearing loss.
Instead of cotton swabs, consider safer alternatives for ear cleaning. Many experts recommend letting the body’s natural cleaning process take care of earwax. If you feel like there’s too much buildup, you can use ear drops designed to soften wax or see a hearing health professional for a thoroughl cleaning. Avoiding cotton swabs will help keep your ears safe and reduce the risk of damage.
Ignoring Signs of Hearing Loss
Another habit that could worsen hearing loss is ignoring the early signs. Many people experience mild hearing loss and brush it off, thinking it’s just a part of getting older. However, delaying treatment can make things worse. When the brain stops receiving certain sound frequencies due to hearing loss, it can forget how to interpret them over time, making it harder to regain full hearing function even with treatment.
If you keep asking others to repeat themselves or struggling to hear conversations in noisy environments, it might be time for a hearing health exam. Catching hearing loss early allows you to address the issue before it worsens, and may even prevent further damage.