While not all types of hearing loss are preventable, there are activities you may take to reduce your chances of getting age-related and noise-induced hearing loss.
It’s never too early or too late to start using hearing protection when exposed to loud noises. Adopting a healthy lifestyle and listening to your doctor’s recommendations can also help protect your hearing health.
We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to limit your exposure to loud noise but other healthy practices can help you keep your hearing as you age:
The tiny hair-like cells in your inner ear are susceptible to changes in blood flow. Hearing loss occurs when these cells are destroyed. The better your general health, the greater your chances of preventing hearing loss or preserving your hearing if you already have it.
- Avoid Making Too Much Noise
What is the limit of how loud is too loud? It’s loud enough to harm your hearing if you have to shout over the noise around you. Sounds from motorcycles, concert speakers, power tools such as saws and drills, earbuds, and other sources are all loud enough to be heard. Find out more about the connection between loud music and hearing loss.
- Maintain your blood pressure and cardiovascular wellness
High blood pressure and heart disease can harm the delicate processes that help you hear within your ear. If you have high cholesterol or blood pressure, follow your doctor’s medication recommendations.
- Remove Earwax Correctly
Wax build-up in your ears can cause the sound to be muffled. However, please don’t use a cotton swab to clean them out because it can push wax deeper into the pores. Instead, soften the wax and gently wash it away with an at-home irrigation kit. If it becomes clogged in your ear, your doctor may have to remove it.
- Examine Your Medications for Hearing Risks
Approximately 200 medications, including several antibiotics and cancer-fighting treatments, have been linked to hearing loss. Even high doses of aspirin might cause damage to your ears. Check with your doctor if you are taking a prescription drug to ensure that it will not affect you.
If you must take a medication that may be harmful to your ears, make sure your doctor tests you’re hearing and balance before and during treatment.
- Reduce the volume in your car
Listening to loud music in a confined environment increases the risk of ear hair cell damage. Reduce the volume while the windows are closed. Although you may appreciate the feel of the breeze in your hair when driving with your windows down, the noise it produces can contribute to hearing loss. When traveling at high speeds, it is preferable to keep the window open.
- Stop smoking and vaping, and restrict your alcohol use
Whether inhaled directly, indirectly or even in utero, cigarette smoke has been shown in studies to impact a person’s hearing health significantly. Similarly, excessive alcohol use can generate a hazardous environment in the ear. The link between vaping and hearing loss is less well-studied, but anecdotal reports have linked it to sudden hearing loss.
