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For some reason, the health of the ears is given undeservedly less attention than other parts of the body. Every day, people make mistakes, the consequences of which will “backfire” on the “health” of their ears in the future.
Traditionally, it is believed that hearing problems arise closer to old age by themselves, when the result is already noticeable and irreversible. The “benefits” of the modern world and bad habits, as it turned out, play an important role in the health of the ears. Here are 5 tips to keep your body healthy for as long as possible.
Avoid loud noise
The first and most obvious tip is to avoid loud sounds whenever possible. Modern realities are such that these very sounds follow us everywhere – the roadway, sirens of cars, television, but there is a danger that people are very willing to expose themselves to – listening to music with headphones. World Health Organization reports indicate that approximately 1,1 billion young people and adolescents worldwide are at risk of hearing problems. Yes, grandmothers who tell their grandchildren about the dangers of headphones are right, but partially. There is a 60/60 rule, which states that listening to music with headphones should last no more than 60 minutes at a volume not exceeding 60% of the maximum. Under this condition, no significant harm is done to the ears, and the use of convenient gadgets is quite possible. Important information when choosing headphones: give preference to on-ear models, and not in-ear (earbuds) – the latter are closer to the ear membrane, which means that the harm from them is more significant.
See your doctor regularly
The insidiousness of ear diseases is that, until the last moment, a person may not be aware of their presence. Annual consultations with a specialist rule out slow but sure hearing impairment. If you are not going to go to the doctor yet, you can carry out an independent diagnosis at home – ask your relatives to whisper numbers or words from a certain distance, and then repeat what was said. Also, carefully monitor the volume level of TVs and phones – if it becomes more comfortable for you to perceive content at a louder level than usual, such a bell can be alarming, and it is not recommended to postpone a visit to the ear, nose and throat. Remember that hearing problems not only make life more uncomfortable, but also affect your perception of yourself and your health, depression, heart disease and even dementia can develop over time.
Take your medicines as directed
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are also analgesics or pain relievers, have been shown to have negative effects on ear health. Interestingly, many neglect the instructions and use drugs at every “convenient” occasion. It is necessary to understand that there are pains that do not require treatment with pills or other forms of drugs. If your symptoms are too frequent, this is another reason to be examined by a doctor.
Don’t clean your ears of wax
Whether it is necessary or still not necessary to clean the ears with cotton swabs – these disputes have been going on for a long time. Doubts are fully justified – with such a hygienic procedure, there can be much more harm than good. The fact is that sulfur is a normal secretion of the body, the main function of which is to protect the ears from possible irritants, for example, the ingestion of insects or pollutants. When cleaning with sticks, it is possible to push sulfur into the canal, which is fraught with blockage and further hearing impairment. Have you ever noticed that you started coughing during the next such session? It is unlikely that such a reaction of the body is normal, so there is no need to do extra work for it at all – the ears have a self-cleaning function. If the presence of sulfur still bothers you, take care to cleanse only the visible part of the ear canal.
Quit smoking
It is hardly possible to name at least something that smoking would not negatively affect, and ears were no exception. Smokers are more vulnerable to hearing problems due to carbon monoxide and nicotine, which damage the cells of the cochlea (located in the front of the ear). Passive smokers – people who inhale the smoke from smoking others – are at the same risk. The only advice would be to fight against a destructive habit, fortunately, the market is now replete with means to facilitate this difficult task.