Hearing Test - 6 Factors That Cause Ear Damage and Increase the Need for an Ear Exam
Many people are concerned about eating right and exercising. However, ear health is just as important. If you want to avoid needing a hearing test sooner than necessary, explore a few ways to prevent unnecessary ear damage.
From excess noise to certain medications,
many things can wreak havoc on your ear drums. If you don't want to constantly worry about asking people to repeat themselves, avoid situations or other elements that can negatively affect your ears and cause you to need a hearing test.
One of the biggest things to avoid is excess noise. Whether you work in an environment that causes you to constantly be around loud noise, or you simply enjoy listening to loud music or going to concerts, you should consider your ears. By constantly exposing your ears to extremely loud sounds, you could cause temporary hearing loss or permanent damage. As a result, you will need a hearing test to determine if you'll need a device to assist you in the future. Yet if you want to avoid such issues, turn down noise levels if at all possible. And even consider wearing ear plugs when necessary.
Surprisingly, people with diabetes are more likely to suffer with ear problems than people without diabetes. One way to combat your issues is to try to get in shape and avoid factors that can lead to diabetes. This means eating a diet filled with fruits and veggies, as well as getting active on a regular basis.
Medication can also have negative effects on your listening abilities. While there are numerous prescription drugs that are damaging to ears, over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin can also affect your hearing. Yet, when you stop taking these drugs, you may notice you can understand people more clearly.
Overindulging in alcohol is another no-no when it comes to your ears. In addition, some people that consume a couple of beers in less than half an hour may be susceptible to losing their ability to decipher sounds. And if the problem persists, even after you stop drinking, it may be time to get a hearing test.
Cleaning your ears with cotton swabs may seem like a harmless practice. However, so many people scratch or severely damage their ear drums this way. As a result, they may have trouble understanding conversations and eventually will need to see an audiologist and to figure out if the ear drum has been damaged.
Furthermore, even smoking or being exposed to second-hand smoke can cause damage. That's because the nicotine hinders the brain's ability to interpret sound. As a result, this may prompt you to get a hearing test. Bottom line, smoking has a long list of negatives and losing your audio abilities is now on the list.
