Health Chatter: How to look after your hearing
- Alice Monk
- Jan 7, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 14
Imagine all the activities you do that require good hearing - listening to music, talking with friends and colleagues, listening to transport announcements…
Now imagine how you would feel in these situations if you are struggling to hear… Frustrated? Saddened? Isolated?
How to look after your ears and hearing
Turn the volume down
When using headphones, the volume should be kept at less than 60%. Restrict listening through headphones at this volume to no more than 60 mins a day.
Opt for over-the-ear headphones as opposed to earbuds.
In noisy workplaces, your employer has a legal duty to reduce the risk of hearing damage under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. If earplugs or defenders are provided, make sure they’re used consistently, cleaned regularly, and fit well.
Attend regular hearing tests provided by your employer to monitor your hearing
Give your ears time to recover
If you have been exposed to loud noise, e.g. at a concert, 16 hrs recovery time is recommended before exposing yourself to loud noises again.
Stop using cotton swabs in your ears
Ears generally clean themselves and some wax in your ears is desirable as it stops dust and other particles from entering the canal.
Using a cotton bud in your ear canal also risks damaging your ear drum if you insert it too far or too hard.
If you think you have excess wax, you can gently clean around the canal with a damp towel or ask your pharmacist for an ear wax removal solution to use to soften the wax so that it is able to flow out on its own.
If that doesn't work, look for a professional earwax removal service.
Keep your ears dry
Take care to towel dry your ears after bathing or swimming as excess moisture can cause bacteria to grow in the ear canal and set up an infection.
Infections
Consult your doctor if you have any of the following:
Pain in the ear
Discharge
Dizziness / problems with your balance
Hissing, buzzing or ringing noises in your ear (tinnitus)
Temporary or sudden hearing loss
About hearing loss
Hearing loss can affect your employment, your education, your family life and your social life.
Our hearing naturally deteriorates as we get older, but today more people are suffering a greater degree of hearing loss than expected for their age. Yet, half of all hearing loss is avoidable.
Hearing loss is linked to the length of time and how often you are exposed to loud noise. The longer and more frequent the exposure, the more likely it is that you will develop hearing loss.
The most common sources of loud noise that we encounter day to day are:
Personal - use of audio devices at high volumes
Social - concerts, nightclubs, bars and sporting events
Work - machinery, equipment e.g. chainsaws, jack hammers
The reason our hearing is affected is because vital tiny hair cells in our inner ear get damaged with repeated exposure to loud noise. These hair cells eventually become unable to convert sound into the nerve signals that go to the brain.
If you’ve been struggling to hear, book a free hearing check — many high street opticians and pharmacies offer these without a referral. If further investigation is needed, they can advise you on next steps.
Our sources and for more information:
https://www.nhs.uk
https://www.specsavers.co.uk/hearing/ear-health
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