Our ears are frequently what carry the load of accidental harm from neglect in our hectic daily lives. From the allure of ear candling to the seemingly harmless act of utilizing cotton swabs, our hearing health can suffer from these prevalent yet hazardous practices. What follows are a few strategies you can use to help protect the health of your hearing.
Ear candling is a no-no
Ear candling, an ancient technique purported to remove earwax and improve ear health, has gained popularity despite lacking scientific merit. The process involves inserting a hollow candle inside of the ear canal and lighting the opposite end, with the idea that a vacuum is created, drawing out impurities. This practice, however, has been proven in a number of studies to not only be ineffective, but also extremely risky.
You might be putting your hearing in peril by using a practice that won’t even remove any earwax. The application of heat near the delicate structures of the ear can lead to burns, perforated eardrums, and even aggravate existing problems. Also, the residue left behind after ear candling often is comprised of candle wax and debris as opposed to extracted earwax.
Medical professionals always discourage ear candling because of these findings. There are safer ways to clean your ears than cotton swabs and the FDA and the Academy of Otolaryngology (AAO) advise against using them.
Get rid of the cotton swabs
It’s true that many individuals turn to these seemingly harmless tools to clean earwax out of their ears. But there are more risks than benefits to inserting a cotton swab into your ear canal. Instead of effectively removing earwax, swabs can unintentionally jam wax deeper into the ear canal, leading to impaction and potential injury.
The eardrum is sensitive and objects like cotton swabs can cause significant damage. Pain, infection, and hearing impairment can all be the outcomes of perforations or abrasions of the eardrum. It would be better to obtain professional assistance if necessary or otherwise depend on your ear’s self-cleaning ability rather than putting any object in the ear.
Keep volumes to a minimum
In a progressively noisy world, our ears are continuously bombarded by sounds of varying volumes. Exposure to loud sound is inevitable, from going to sporting events and concerts to strolling down busy city streets to mowing your lawn. However, prolonged or excessive exposure can have detrimental effects on hearing health, resulting in noise-induced hearing loss or tinnitus.
It’s crucial to use hearing protection and, if possible, avoid excessively loud settings in order to avoid damage. Whenever you can’t steer clear of extremely loud noise, protection like earplugs and earmuffs should be utilized.
Also, take frequent breaks and moderate the volume when you’re utilizing personal listening devices such as headphones and earpods.
If you detect any symptoms, act quickly
Taking fast action when your ears begin to tell you that you’re starting to encounter some level of hearing loss is critical to protect your ears from harm. Despite the availability of advanced treatments, such as hearing aids, holding off on intervention can exacerbate hearing loss and complicate management.
It is crucial to identify common signs of hearing impairment, such as trouble understanding speech, ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus), or a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears. If any of these symptoms are experienced, seek evaluation from a qualified hearing specialist or otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist) immediately. Early detection and intervention can significantly improve outcomes and improve your quality of life.
Your ability to successfully navigate the landscape of your life depends on you keeping your hearing as healthy as possible. We can maintain our healthy hearing by avoiding cotton swabs and ear candles, safeguarding our ears against loud noise, and identifying early warning symptoms.
Call us immediately for an evaluation if you are suffering from ear damage or hearing loss.