Hearing loss affects all of us as we age. However, some have to deal with worse hearing loss than others. External factors, as well as various ear conditions, can exacerbate your hearing loss.
Restoring your hearing may be possible, and there are some steps you can take to slow the process down. Here’s what you should do when hearing impairment affects you.
Change Your Environment
Constant exposure to loud noises affects your hearing over time. You may not even realize how damaging your environment is. Stop listening to music through headphones, especially at loud volumes, and keep the TV turned down.
Use earplugs to protect yourself from other everyday noisemakers. These may include the lawn mower, blenders, and anything else that disrupts the peace when you use it.
Unclog Your Ears
According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), we only need about 5% of our ear canals to be clear for us to hear. As a result, you may not realize how much wax builds up in your ears.
Too much wax may block the canal. Furthermore, wax swells when exposed to water. That sudden hearing loss after a shower or swim may distress you. But restoring your hearing is often as simple as getting your ears cleaned.
Don’t use cotton swabs to clean your ears. You may get some surface wax out, but you’ll push other wax deeper. This causes it to impact, making it more difficult to remove. Instead, visit your doctor for a professional clean.
Get an Implant
You may need an implant to restore your hearing. These come in various forms, from outer ear to cochlear implants.
Discuss your options with your doctor. They’ll recommend the type of implant that works best for your condition. Typically, you’ll need an implant if ear damage is the cause of your hearing impairment.
