It’s not always straight forward to make healthy decisions. Usually, we’re able to conquer our reluctance by merely reminding ourselves, “this is good for me.” But what if some of the things you’ve been doing for your health are harming your hearing? It happens more frequently than you would imagine.
Daily Health Habits
How healthy you look and how well you maintain yourself matters to you. Like most people, you probably put on something sharp, brush your teeth, comb your hair, and possibly, clean your ears.
It can be aggravating when a small trickle of earwax increases over time. In spite of earwax having numerous vital purposes in your ear, it does have to be taken out from time to time. The risk of hearing injury doesn’t come from eliminating the earwax, but instead, from the system you use to remove it.
Cotton swabs are depicted as the tool-of-choice for earwax elimination, but if you’re doing this, you need to discontinue right away. Permanent damage can be done by using cotton swabs to get rid of your earwax. Consulting a hearing health provider would be your best bet. Getting rid of Earwax is a basic solution for them.
Your Exercise Habits
Part of looking good is feeling good, and what better way to do that than to stay in shape? Exercising can help get your blood flowing, relax your muscles, help you lose weight and clear your mind, all of which are great for your hearing. But workouts practiced improperly are the problem.
Physical fitness trends are moving toward high-impact workouts that test your stamina. Engaging in these kinds of workouts, while building muscle, may also be damaging your ears. Strenuous exercise can cause a build up of pressure in the ears. Resulting in balance and hearing problems.
This doesn’t mean quitting your workouts is the right answer. The important factor is correct workout technique. Don’t hold your breath and avoid straining when you’re at the gym. Quit when you have come to your limit.
Your Successful Career
A successful career can be tense. While working hard to achieve career accomplishment is great, research shows that the pressure that accompanies it can be harmful to your health.
Many people don’t realize that besides causing impaired judgment, weight gain, and muscle pain, strain also can lead to hearing loss. Stress itself isn’t the issue; it’s that strain causes poor blood circulation. When you have poor blood flow the delicate hairs in your ears don’t get the blood flow and oxygen they need. When the hairs in your ear die, they won’t grow back. Why do they matter? Your brain uses them to hear. So without them you may not hear.
Your career doesn’t have to cost you your hearing though. Simple strategies for reducing stress can be used to keep the blood flowing. If you’re finding yourself stressed out, take a break. Reading or watching something funny is helpful. Strain can be naturally relieved with humor.
Enjoying the Arts
Being exposed to the arts is definitely good for your mind. But different forms of art have different levels of impact on hearing.
Going to the movies or attending a live music event is louder than you may believe. While enjoying our favorite art form we we usually don’t worry about whether it is harming our hearing. The sad truth is, it very well may be.
This is easily solved. Be certain to plan for ear protection before attending a loud event. Earmuffs may look silly at a production of Phantom of the Opera, but there are plenty of discreet in-ear noise reduction products that you can pack in your pocket.
Like with anything else, being informed and prepared will help to protect. If you’re worried, you may have already experienced hearing loss from one of these activities, schedule a hearing test with a specialist. Only then will you know for sure.