Ear Care

Proper Ear Care

Many people are pretty careful about caring for their eyes and teeth, but when it comes to ear care, many do not know what to do. While for the most part, ears can pretty much to be left alone, there are some steps that are needed to ensure their proper care.

While many people think that ear care should include removing wax by using a cotton swab, the fact is that such cleaning methods can actually harm your ear. Instead, just clean the outer ear with a soft cloth. There is no need to remove wax. If you have so much wax that it is uncomfortable or is affecting your hearing, mention it to your doctor.

Ear Candles

Ear candles are another method of wax removal. While not as popular as the use of cotton swabs, this method of wax removal can be just as harmful. The reason is that the wax in your ears is there for a reason. It is not dirt that needs to be removed. Instead, it protects your ear from dirt and debris.

The bottom line is that removing ear wax is not part of good ear care.

Noise

Some people think it’s pretty cool to keep their music as loud as it can get. The problem is that this can result in hearing loss. Some people have experienced permanent hearing loss after attending just one extremely loud concert. Most noise related hearing loss comes after prolonged exposure to loud noise.

This could be from keeping music very loud or from work related noise, such as one would experience working with explosives or loud machinery.

Protecting your hearing from loud music is easy: turn it down. When the noise is work related, be sure to wear proper ear protection, such as headphones or earplugs in order to ensure that you will not suffer any hearing loss as a result of your exposure to the noise.

Illness

Another way that some have suffered hearing loss is the result of an illness or infection. While sometimes this cannot be prevented, other times the hearing loss came as a result of not getting treatment soon enough. That is why it is very important to see a doctor right away if you suspect that you may have an ear infection. Pain in the ears and/or drainage is not something that should be ignored. If you have any symptoms relating to your ears, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.

Just as you have regular physical examinations, part of ear care should include having a regular hearing test. You should certainly see an audiologist if you suspect that you suffered any hearing loss.

Here are a few signs that you might have lost some of your hearing:

You often ask people to repeat what they said
You cannot hear the television unless it is kept at a very high volume
You have trouble hearing on the telephone
You have to be looking at someone in order to hear what they are saying

Proper ear care is just as important as caring for any other part of your body. If you notice a problem, see a doctor right away. Putting it off could mean losing your hearing.