Ear Care 101

Taking care of your hearing by having healthy ears can help prevent complications like hearing loss and its related side effects in the future. Here, we share some common tips for healthy ears and hearing you can follow for the best chance at having long-term peak hearing ability.

How to Clean Your Ears Properly

Earwax buildup, beyond maybe grossing people out, can actually lead to a form of hearing loss called conductive hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss occurs when, for some reason, sound waves do not reach the inner ear correctly. Having a blocked or mostly blocked ear canal with earwax prevents sound from getting to the eardrum.

So it’s important to keep your ears clean, but you actually don’t need to do anything special to take care of this since the ears are self-cleaning. Over time, the motion of your jaw causes earwax buildup to ball up and fall out on its own, with or without your notice.

People who are used to other methods of cleaning their ears, such as with cotton swabs or debunked “ear candles” can actually cause harm to their eardrum by inserting things into their ear. The eardrum is a sensitive membrane at the end of your ear canal that transmits sound to the inner ear. It can rupture or become crusted with packed-down earwax that prevents proper hearing. The best way to keep your ears clean is to let them do their job.

Hearing Protection Tips

Wear Earplugs or Earmuffs When Necessary

Your ears are sensitive organs that can be damaged by more than just foreign objects physically placed in the ear canal. They can also be damaged by exposure to loud noises. If you live or work in a noisy environment (defined as louder than 85 decibels), you should have a plan for protecting your hearing with earplugs or over-the-ear noise cancelling headphones.

Eat A Nutritious Diet

Increasingly, research shows that your diet matters when it comes to your overall health as well as your hearing health. The risk of developing hearing loss later in life is greater in individuals who have not eaten healthfully on a consistent basis during the rest of their life. A little extra effort today can really pay off in the long run.

Avoid Ototoxic Medications

Certain drugs are known to be toxic to the hearing organs in your middle and inner ear. Frequently using pain relievers that are ototoxic can lead to your ears literally being poisoned and losing function. Ask your doctor if the medication you’re prescribed or take on a daily basis is ototoxic and find an alternative that won’t harm your hearing.

Hearing Loss Solutions in Georgia

At Georgia Hearing Aid Factory Outlet, we know the daily life of people with hearing loss can be hard and often leads to other unintended side effects, such as depression and cognitive decline. That’s why we provide custom solutions with state-of-the-art technology to help you or your loved one find the hearing aid they need to get back their normal lifestyle. Call or come to the nearest location today, or schedule an appointment online to get started. Our three locations are convenient for patients in communities such as Whitehall, Watkinsville, Flowery Beach, and more.