5 Common Mistakes That Cause Hearing Loss

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Deafness is an issue that can affect anyone of any age. While most people’s hearing does begin to decline between the ages of thirty and forty, making age the number one cause of hearing loss, that doesn’t mean that it’s inevitable or that there aren’t other factors at work. In fact, each person’s hearing loss can be due to several different problems, some of which you may be causing yourself. With that in mind, here are five common mistakes that can cause hearing loss.

Digging Inside Your Ears

Although many of us will happily clean our ears with cotton buds, without any obvious problems, most experts warn that you shouldn’t. Wax is a layer of protection for your ear, keeping debris, like dirt and hair from making its way inside and causing damage. Without this protection, your ears are left exposed. Cleaning your ears this way also risks pushing wax deeper inside your ear, which can cause infections and blockages, both of which can result in some hearing loss.

Listening To Loud Music

When exposed to loud noises, like music and the television, for too long, the tiny hair cells inside your ear can become damaged. This makes it more difficult for them to pick up sound vibrations, with the louder the sound and the longer the exposure resulting in greater harm. The worst part about this is that this damage is irreversible and can cause a degree of permanent hearing loss. Because of this, you should turn down the volume of your music or TV to a reasonable level.

Avoiding Your Hearing Aids

Those who have hearing loss are usually suggested hearing aids to prevent any further damage and improve their current hearing. Unfortunately, many people avoid wearing their aids most of the time. There are many reasons for this, but that doesn’t change the fact that you can enjoy each minute of life with these hearing aids, but will surely struggle without them. If a professional has recommended hearing aids to you, then it’s best that you take their advice.

Taking The Wrong Medication

Just like agreeing to terms and conditions without reading them, many of us take medications that we’re prescribed without looking into the possible side-effects. The problem with this is that there are many drugs that list hearing loss as a risk. These are called ototoxic medications, because they are toxic to your ears, causing damage that can result in deafness. To prevent this, you should ask your doctor if there are any alternatives to the ototoxic drug that you take.

Skipping Your Check-Ups

Everyone experiences a little ringing or muffling in their ears from time to time, but if you find yourself suffering from these issues on a regular basis, or believe that they’re getting worse, then you should speak to a professional. Early diagnosis is always ideal, so, if there is something wrong, it’s best that it is seen to right away. Even if you don’t have any problems with your ears, you should still schedule regular appointments so that you can get a hearing check-up.

Hearing loss can have a number of causes, but, if you follow the advice above, then you won’t be one of them.