Woman getting hearing test in Albany, NY

Healthy Ears

Tips for Healthy Ears

You want to be able to hear your best for many years, that’s why it’s important to take care of your ear health and be proactive about your hearing. Healthy ears mean you will be able to continue hearing your best now and in the future. There are some ways you can be proactive against hearing loss and keep your ears safe from any damage.

Below are a few tips you can follow to keep your ears feeling – and hearing – their best.

Wear Hearing Protection

Keeping your hearing safe is a crucial part of maintaining good ear health. It’s important to wear earplugs or custom-made hearing protection whenever you are exposed to loud noise. Any sound above 80 dB (decibels) is too loud and can cause detrimental damage to your hearing. Whenever you attend a concert, are working with power tools, go hunting, or watch fireworks, it’s important to protect your hearing with earplugs.

Limit Loud Music

Listening to music at too loud of a volume can be harmful to your hearing, especially if you listen to your music through earbuds. To keep your hearing safe, listen to music under 80 dB, as anything over this can result in damage to your hearing. When you wear earbuds and listen to music at too high a volume, you’re at risk of rupturing your eardrum or experiencing noise-induced hearing loss. It’s best to listen to music at a safe volume to ensure you keep your ears healthy.

Don’t Use Cotton Swabs in Your Ears

Did you know that our ears are naturally self-cleaning? Cerumen (earwax) produces in the ear and works its way out naturally through the ear canal, cleansing the ear of any dirt and debris. Many people believe earwax to be “gross” or “dirty,” but it actually keeps your ears clean and healthy. When you try to remove earwax with a cotton swab, you are pushing the wax along with other debris further into the ear canal. You can also potentially scratch your ear canal or puncture your eardrum with a cotton swab. Never use cotton swabs to clean your ears, instead make an appointment with us. We can safely remove the earwax and help you hear better.

Schedule Regular Hearing Exams

Regardless of if you have hearing loss or not, it’s important to receive regular hearing exams to ensure your hearing is healthy. Just like you go to the doctor every year for a physical, you should also visit us every year for a hearing exam, especially if you are over the age of 50. Being proactive about your hearing health will increase your chances of protecting your hearing now and for the future.

Call Us Today

Following these tips will help you maintain good ear health. If you are interested in more tips, or you would like to schedule a hearing exam, call us today. We would be happy to go over your hearing health with you and help you be proactive.