9 Tips for Protecting and Caring for Your Hearing
TIPS FOR HEALTHY LISTENING
Hearing is one of the most important senses and is in use around the clock. Once the delicate hair cells are damaged, they do not regenerate. To preserve your hearing (and the quality of life that comes with it), it is important to pay attention to your ears and take good care of them.
It’s important to remember that our bodies are already good at taking care of themselves. Excessive cleaning—for example, with cotton swabs—should be avoided, as it can, in the worst case, lead to irreparable damage. Especially since cotton swabs usually just push the wax deeper into the ear instead of effectively removing it.
1.
Warm water, soap, and a moisturizing cream are all you need for cleaning and care. In the summer, a high SPF sunscreen is recommended, as the ears are particularly sensitive to sunlight.
2.
The ear canal does not require additional cleaning. When people talk about cleaning the ears, they are usually referring to the removal of earwax. However, earwax serves as a natural protective barrier for our ears and performs several important functions: It keeps the ear canal moist and wards off bacteria. Earwax also protects against foreign objects such as dust and dirt particles. If you feel that your ear is blocked, leave the cleaning to your trusted ENT specialist.
3.
The same applies to objects lodged in a child’s ear. Objects that have become lodged accidentally should only be removed by an ENT specialist to avoid more serious injuries.
4.
Water in the ear canal is uncomfortable after a bath or shower. No question about it. By tilting your head and gently pulling on your earlobe, you can help the water drain out of your ear.
5.
Music makes the soul dance, gets the blood pumping, and makes the heart beat faster. But whether you’re using speakers or headphones: keep it down! Avoid noise in all forms. Pay special attention to noise exposure for your children.
6.
If noise is expected—for example, during home improvement or gardening work—wear hearing protection. There are smart hearing protectors that block out noise while still allowing you to hear warning signals, music, and radio announcements thanks to special technology.
7.
Sometimes we feel pressure in our ears, and they feel “stuffy.” For example, when we’re riding a train through a tunnel or when an airplane takes off or lands. The eardrum bulges uncomfortably due to the pressure changes in the ear. The Eustachian tube is then responsible for equalizing the pressure in the ear. Chewing gum is a good tip for equalizing ear pressure. However, opening your mouth wide and moving your jaw until you hear a soft popping sound in your ear, or intentionally yawning, is often sufficient to equalize the pressure. If the sensation of pressure in the ear occurs without any external influences, an infection is usually the cause. In that case, consult an ENT specialist.
8.
Have annual checkups performed by an ENT specialist. This is especially important if, for example, you are exposed to high levels of noise due to your job.
9.
Your local hearing care professional offers free hearing tests, which should also be performed once a year. These tests help ensure early diagnosis and, if necessary, the fitting of hearing aids.