In the past, we’ve talked about the many ways you can prevent hearing loss, especially as you age. But did you know that there are a number of ways to improve your hearing, even when you’re young and already have generally good hearing?
Clean your ears. Cleaning your ears is incredibly important, especially in the summer when you’re in and out of pools. But before you reach for the Q-tips in your bathroom, you should know that these little cotton swabs can actually puncture your eardrum. Instead, you should get a device like the Oto-Tip that can be safely inserted into your ear to remove ear wax.
Quit smoking, or never start. One of the main risks associated with smoking is cancer, specifically cancer of the mouth, lungs, and throat. But cigarettes impact almost every aspect of your health, including your hearing.
Exercise more. Exercising won’t just make your heart and muscles stronger, it’ll also help your brain process incoming stimuli (which includes sound).
Don’t eat too much salt. Salt causes you to retain more water throughout your body, including your ears. A build-up of fluid in your ears can then impact your hearing and even lead to ear infections.
Put down the headphones. Especially when doing homework or working in the office, having your headphones in is almost a necessity. But while you may enjoy the music, your ears don’t. Don’t get us wrong, having your headphones in for an hour or two is perfectly fine, but you shouldn’t exceed more than that in a day. If you still want to listen to music, place a speaker on the other side of the room and enjoy your tunes the safe way!
Get a good night’s sleep. A good night’s sleep is necessary for a number of reasons, one of them being your hearing. Sleep anea and hearing loss are more closely associated than you may think. If you have sleep apnea, your hearing may be at risk too. To improve your quality and quantity of sleep, you should consider quitting smoking, keeping your room cooler, adjusting the humidity in your room, and losing weight.
Protect your ears. People who work in construction or manufacturing (or any number of notoriously noisy professions) should wear protective ear muffs. You should also wear them when attending concerts or loud sports games.
If you believe you’re suffering from hearing loss, contact Dr. Han at Florida ENT. Utilizing the latest advances in medicine and state-of-the-art techniques, our goal is to treat our patients with comfort and compassion. To learn more about the services we provide, please call us today at 407-944-3340 to schedule an appointment.