Our ears are often what carry the load of unintentional harm from neglect in our busy daily lives. From the allure of ear candling to the apparently harmless act of utilizing cotton swabs, our hearing health can suffer from these common yet perilous practices. Below, we explore four important strategies to safeguard your sense of hearing and keep your ears protected.
Bid farewell to ear candling
Ear candling, an ancient practice purported to extract earwax and promote ear health, has gained popularity in spite of lacking scientific merit. It’s believed that a vacuum is created when a hollow ear candle is inserted into your ear canal and the wick at the opposite end is lit allegedly pulling impurities out. This practice, however, has been proven in several studies to not only be ineffective, but also very risky.
You might be putting your hearing in jeopardy by employing a practice that won’t even eliminate any earwax. The application of heat near the delicate structures of the ear can result in burns, perforated eardrums, and even aggravate existing issues. Also, the residue left behind after ear candling often is comprised of candle wax and debris rather than extracted earwax.
Medical professionals always warn against ear candling because of these findings. There are safer methods of cleaning your ears than cotton swabs and the FDA and the Academy of Otolaryngology (AAO) advise against using them.
No more cotton swabs
It’s true that many people turn to these seemingly harmless tools to clean earwax out of their ears. However, contrary to public opinion, inserting cotton swabs into the ear canal presents more risks than advantages. Impaction and potential injury can be the outcome of using cotton swabs rather than actually cleaning out earwax.
The sensitive nature of the eardrum makes it susceptible to damage from outside objects, including cotton swabs. Pain, infection, and hearing loss can all be the results of perforations or abrasions of the eardrum. It would be better to obtain professional help if necessary or otherwise depend on your ear’s self-cleaning ability instead of putting any object in the ear.
Be mindful of the volume: safeguard against loud noise
In an increasingly noisy world, our ears are constantly inundated by sounds of differing volumes. From bustling city streets to recreational activities like concerts and sporting events, exposure to loud noise is unavoidable. Over-exposure to loud sounds like these can have negative effects on your hearing health leading to tinnitus and noise-related hearing loss.
It’s essential to use hearing protection and, if you can, avoid excessively loud settings in order to prevent damage. Whenever you can’t avoid extremely loud noise, protection such as earplugs and earmuffs should be utilized.
Also, take regular breaks and moderate the volume when you’re utilizing personal listening devices such as headphones and earpods.
Listen to your ears: act quickly on symptoms
Taking quick action when your ears begin to tell you that you’re starting to encounter some level of hearing loss is crucial to protect your ears from damage. Despite the availability of advanced treatments, including hearing aids, holding off on intervention can exacerbate hearing loss and complicate treatment.
If you have symptoms like ringing in the ears, trouble understanding speech, or pain or pressure in your ears, it’s important that you acknowledge it. Make an appointment with us right away if you experience any of these symptoms. Early detection and intervention can substantially improve results and enhance your quality of life.
Your ability to effectively navigate the landscape of your life is dependent on you keeping your hearing as healthy as possible. By embracing these four strategies, avoiding ear candling and cotton swabs, protecting against loud noise, and understanding early warning signs, we can maintain our precious sense of hearing and cherish the symphony of sounds that enhance our existence.
Call us today for an evaluation if you are suffering from ear damage or hearing loss.
