As a person who loves music, I honestly don't know what I would do without my ears. Every time I go see a concert or sing a song, I thank my lucky stars for these tiny, vital organs.
But the fact of the matter is that there are plenty of ways I may be doing serious damage to them each and every day without even realizing it.
It's easy to take our ears for granted, and it's even easier to abuse them inadvertently. Luckily, by knowing what mistakes to avoid, we can hopefully protect them for years to come.
Steering clear of these 10 no-nos below is absolutely essential to keeping our ears in tip-top shape.
Are you guilty of doing any of these on a regular basis? Did we miss anything from our list? Let us know in the comments.
And please SHARE with your family and friends so everyone can have the healthiest ears possible!
Thumbnail sources: Flickr, Wikimedia Commons
1. Ignore Your Symptoms
No one wants to admit that they're losing their hearing, but if you ignore the symptoms, there's no way to address the problem.
Some things can be fixed with care, like temporary tinnitus, but others will need to be addressed with something more permanent, like a hearing aid. Either way, the sooner you deal with the problem, the better.
2. Forget Recovery Time
After you go to a loud concert or expose your ears to a lot of loud voices, you need to give them time to recover. Experts say you may need up to 16 hours to fully recover after a particularly long concert, so maybe sit down to quietly read a book the next day.
If you can take breaks from noise, like when you're at a loud bar, step out every 45 minutes or so.
3. Let Them Soak
Forgetting to dry out your ears can cause bacteria to grow, which then causes infections, which in turn could affect your hearing negatively.
Make sure to pat your ears dry with a clean towel after you shower or swim to prevent infection. Ensure your kids do this too, especially after a day jumping in and out of a pool. If you feel water lodged in there, make sure you get it out too.
4. Stress Them Out
High stress levels have been linked to temporary and permanent tinnitus, that phantom ringing in your ear. For the love of your ears and your sanity, tackle stress head-on with some meditation, exercise, or therapy — whatever you think will work best for you.
5. Blast Music
We all know this one, but very few of us worry about it. The general rule is to not listen at more than 60% volume for more than 60 minutes a day.
This can be a tough habit to break, but if you want to keep your hearing when you're older, turn the tunes down.
6. Neglect Piercings
If you got your ears pierced years and years ago, it's still a good idea to clean them out with rubbing alcohol every now and again for safe measure.
For new piercings, proper care is essential in order to prevent infection. Different piercers will give you different instructions, but medical salt spray twice a day seems to be a pretty trusted method among most piercers.
Trust me, you do not want to have an infection on such a sensitive area that is also so close to your brain. If you do suspect and infection in a new piercing, go to a doctor immediately.
7. Get In Too Deep
The inner ear is a self-cleaning organ, and a bit of wax is necessary for keeping dust and other small particles out. If you have too much wax in there, that's not good either, but you should never use a cotton swab to dig it out.
Try wiping your ears clean with a damp towel (and drying off afterwards), or use a cleaning solution over the course of a few nights. If any problems persist, you'll need to seek the help of a professional.
8. Skip Ear Plugs Around The House
Whether you're mowing your lawn or using power tools, make sure you wear proper protection on your ears. These harsh, grating noises can be extremely destructive to your hearing long-term.
You can get high-end ear plugs made for specific activities, which would be great, but even using the cheap little squishy plugs you can buy in bulk are better than nothing.
9. Forget To Clean Behind Them
So much is said about how to and how not to clean the inside of your ear that the outside gets completely forgotten. If you forget to clean behind your ears, you'll start to get a nasty build up in the crease, which may begin to smell like cheese. Gross.
You've also got to be sure to wipe clean the folds of your outer ear for the same reason.
10. Take Meds Without Instruction From A Doctor
Some medications including over-the-counter ones could cause some hearing loss, so make sure you're only taking medicine that your doctor has prescribed or believes to be safe for you.
Do you do any of these dangerous things to your ears? Did we miss anything from our list? Let us know in the comments and please SHARE with family and friends on Facebook!
