Listen up! Take care of those ears
What was that? I can’t hear you!
Typically we blame others for not talking loud enough, or having a bad cell phone connection. But the real problem might lie on either side of our heads. Ears are incredibly important; once hearing is damaged it cannot be repaired. However, we rarely worry about taking care of our ears.
Here are a few warning signs that your hearing may be at risk:
- Ringing of the ears
- Trouble hearing others
- Playing the radio or TV loudly
- Speaking loudly
- Trouble hearing common sounds, like the doorbell or the telephone
- Trouble following a conversation in a large group
In order to help keep your ears healthy, try these easy steps:
- Limit your exposure to loud noises (and use protection like earplugs or earmuffs). A rule of thumb is if you have to shout to be heard, the noise is too loud.
- Keep the radio or television volume low
- Schedule regular health screenings
- Protect your head from injury (which could damage the temporal bones)
- Don’t poke anything into the ear canals, you may injure your eardrums
- Dry your ears after bathing
- Avoid swimming in unclean water
If you notice a change in your hearing, contact your doctor. Hearing issues can become serious and permanent damage if left unchecked.
For more information on ear health, please visit:
ENTnet – Hearing Protection
Beltone – Hearing Loss Warning Signs
MyOptumHealth – Preventing Hearing Loss
Better Health Channel – Ways to Protect Your Hearing
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