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Proper Ear Health

How to care for your ears

          Did you know there is a right and wrong way to clean the ear? If the ear doesn't get cleaned, or if it gets cleaned poorly or the wrong way, it can seriously damage your hearing! And once hearing is lost it often can't be fixed. Here are some tips and instructions for caring for the ear.

• Have your doctor check your ears and hearing
• Recognize the signs of hearing loss
• See your doctor imediately if you injure your ears, if your ears hurt, or if you notice abnormal changes in your ears or hearing

• Be careful when cleaning your ears. Wipe your outer ear with a washcloth or tissue during or after showering.
• Don't put any small objects in your ears.Cotton swabs and other small objects can damage the sensitive parts of your ear.
• Normally, earwax is removed by the bodies own cleaning processes. If excess earwax builds up in your ears you should see your doctor.

• Avoid exposure to unnecessary loud noise. The best way to prevent heaing loss is to get rid of loud noises or leave the noisy area.
• If shouting is neded to be heard, then the noise level in the area could damage your hearing.
• If you can't avoid loud noise, wear some kind of ear protection such as ear plugs or ear muffs.
• Even soft sounds can be damaging. Repeated exposure to low level sound can strain your ears and deamage them.
• Protect young children who do not know when loud becomes too loud.

• You can reduce the risk of ear infections by immediately treating upper respiratory tract infections
• Illnesses and medical conditions can affect your hearing. If you suddenly lose your hearing or have ringing in the noise, see your doctor.
• Some medications are ototoxic (toxic to the ear) and may damage your hearing. Only use medicine as directed and tell your doctor if the medicine you are taking is affecting your hearing.
• Don't smoke. Smoking poisons the body and thus can damage the ear.

• Use ear protection like earplugs or earmuffs if using equipment that are loud enough to damage your ears, like lawnmowers and power tools.
• Don't turn the volume up on your television or stereo. If you think it's too loud, then it will damage your hearing.

• Wear ear protection when working in a noisy environment.
• Certain chemicals and their fumes can damage your hearing. If you use chemicals in your work talk with your doctor and your administrator about ways to limit exposure and reduce risk.

• Always wear a helmet! When you bike, when you ski, when you roller blade, or when you participate in any other activity that puts you at risk for head and ear injuries.
• At rock concerts, nightclubs, and motor sports events, wear earplugs
• If you scuba dive, learn and practice proper underwater descent techniques to avoid potentially damaging changes in pressure inside your ears
• Use caution when setting the volume on personal radios, CD players, and MP3 systems. Even lower volumes can be damaging when you listen over long periods of time. Remove the headphones now and then to give your ears a rest

• In the car, always wear your seatbelt. In an accident, seatbelts can save your life and help you avoid injury to your head and ears
• Keep auto sound systems at sensible volumes. This can help you avoid hearing damage and allow you to hear (and yield to) emergency vehicles
• When you fly, swallow and yawn frequently when the plane is taking off and landing to equalize pressure in your ears. If you have an upper respiratory problem (such as a cold, the flu, or a sinus infection), take a decongestant a few hours before your plane is scheduled to land, or use a decongestant spray just prior to landing