Your ears are remarkable organs that allow you to hear various sounds and maintain balance. They are often neglected and subjected to multiple harmful practices. From how you clean them to how you enjoy your favorite tunes, many people unknowingly jeopardize their auditory health.
Inserting Objects Into Your Ears
One of the most common mistakes people make with their ears is using objects like hairpins or keys to remove earwax or scratch an itch. This can be harmful and even cause damage to your inner ear.
The delicate skin inside your ear canal can easily be injured, leading to infections, hearing loss, or even a ruptured eardrum. Instead, use a soft cloth to clean the outer ear and leave the inner cleaning to your body’s natural processes.
Using Headphones for Extended Periods
Listening to music through headphones can be enjoyable but also damage your ears if you’re not careful.
When the volume is too loud, or you use headphones for an extended period, you can cause permanent hearing loss or tinnitus. Take breaks to allow your ears to rest.
Not Protecting Your Ears From Loud Noises
Exposure to loud noises from concerts, sporting events, or machinery can damage your ears over time. Wear earplugs or earmuffs when you know you will be exposed to loud noises for an extended period. This is especially important for individuals who work in noisy environments.
Ignoring Ear Infections
Ear infections are common, especially in children, but they should not be ignored. If left untreated, they can lead to permanent hearing loss or damage to the middle and inner ear. If you experience pain, pressure, or discharge from your ears, seek medical attention to prevent long-term consequences.
Smoking
Smoking not only damages your lungs but also affects your ears. The chemicals in cigarettes can harm the cells in your inner ear that are responsible for transmitting sound signals to the brain. This can lead to hearing loss over time, and it’s one more reason to quit smoking.
Not Getting Your Hearing Checked Regularly
Just like you get your eyes checked regularly, it’s essential to have your hearing tested as well. Many people wait until they experience significant hearing loss before getting a hearing test, but the earlier you detect any issues, the better your chance of preventing further damage.
Ensure you check your hearing every few years, primarily if you work in a noisy environment or have a family history of hearing loss.
Using Cotton Swabs to Clean Your Ears
Although cotton swabs seem easy and efficient to clean your ears, they can do more harm than good. They push earwax further into the ear canal, leading to a buildup of wax and potential blockages.
This can cause temporary hearing loss, discomfort, or even damage to the eardrum. Instead, let your body’s natural process take care of earwax removal.
Not Drying Your Ears After Swimming
Swimming and other water activities are enjoyable and great for overall health, but they also pose a risk to your ears. Water can get trapped in the ear canal, leading to infections. Dry your ears thoroughly after swimming or showering by tilting your head and gently pulling on your earlobe.
Using Earbuds
While earbuds are convenient and famous, they are not the best choice for your ears. They are inserted directly into the ear canal, which can increase sound volume and cause damage over time. Over-ear headphones provide a better distance between the sound source and your eardrum, reducing the risk of hearing loss.
Not Protecting Your Ears From Cold Temperatures
Exposure to cold temperatures can also harm your ears by causing damage to the tiny hair cells in your inner ear. Wear earmuffs or a warm hat to protect your ears from cold weather. This is especially important if you have a history of ear infections or other ear-related issues.
More From Health Makes You
Hearing loss is a serious condition that can significantly impact one’s quality of life. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the common bad habits which can lead to hearing loss. Here are 14 bad habits that could make you deaf if left unchecked.
14 Bad Habits That Could Make You Deaf
Want to Be Fit and Healthy? Don’t Do These 18 Things
Do you want to be fit and healthy? It’s time to say goodbye to habits holding you back from achieving your health goals. Here are twenty unhealthy habits to stop now and how to start the journey toward a healthier lifestyle.
Want to be Fit and Healthy? DON’T DO These 18 Things
The 20 Worst Habits That Are Destroying Your Heart
Living a healthy lifestyle is essential for maintaining a healthy heart. Unfortunately, many of us have bad habits that can harm our hearts. These unhealthy behaviors can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and coronary artery disease.
The 20 Worst Habits That Are Destroying Your Heart
The 30 Worst Foods to Eat After 30
Eating healthily is vital at all times, but after 30, consuming certain foods can harm more than help. By avoiding these food items when you reach your thirties, you can promote lasting health and happiness for years.
The 30 Worst Foods to Eat After Age 30
You Have No Business Eating These Foods for Dinner, Unless You Just Don’t Care
Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but dinner is a close second. Eating a healthy and nutritious dinner can give you energy and help your body prepare for a good night of restful sleep. Some foods, however, won’t only deny you these benefits — they can create more problems. Avoid these dinner foods to keep your body in a healthy balance.
You Have No Business Eating These Foods for Dinner, Unless You Just Don’t Care
This article was produced on Health Makes You.