Know More About Protecting Your Ears

Start saving your hearing by turning down the stereo, being careful with those cotton swabs, and taking a look at some sound advice I have for you.
When you go to the store the next time, go ahead and grab some earplugs.
Next Saturday morning, wear them, you will find that everything you do becomes more difficult when you can't hear.
Merely having a discussion is very difficult.
You can't easily watch TV, and the radio becomes useless.
The very act of perceiving activity within your own home is now taxing.
The shutting of a door, timers buzzing to signal the ending of a cooking cycle of a load of towels in the dryer, appliances kicking off or on, you cannot discern any of these things.
This is called auditory isolation.
Luckily, however, the majority of people can avoid losing their hearing.
Most people experience two basic kinds of hearing loss: the first being conductive loss which means sound isn't getting through or being conducted to the inner ear, and that's where sound interpretation happens for everyone.
The second type of hearing loss is called sensorineural hearing loss, where the sound is able to make it through to the inner ear, but somehow isn't interpreted correctly when it gets there.
This is because of damage to tiny fibres in the inner ear, the hearing nerve or the brain itself.
It is common for individuals suffering sensorineural hearing loss to have tinnitus - a persistent ring or hum.
An audiologist or a doctor will be able to tell which kind of hearing loss you have by examining your previous medical issues and your ears.
If conductive hearing loss is discovered, clearing it up can sometimes be as easy as dislodging a wax buildup, or can be as complex as otosclerosis surgery to the tiny bones in the middle ear.
In the case of sensorineural hearing loss, options for treatment include the use of modern hearing aides or, in the case of those who have particular issues of the inner ear, the possibility of cochlear implants.
Take advantage of this information and remember which sort of things can create ear problems for you.
It all comes down to sensory overload.
A good piece of advice - when you find yourself yelling to compete with other noises going on around you, then it's time to remove yourself from that environment or guard your hearing with earplugs or headphones.
So many of us who spent our young lives listening to deafening music are now regretting it.
A lot of us were taught to shoot guns as kids and had no protection for our ears, or ended up serving in the military, and find we now have hearing problems.
Infections or tumors that go undiagnosed and untreated are likely to result in permanent hearing loss later in life.
Statistics show that 20% of people who are 55 have some form of hearing loss.
This number increases to thirty-three percent by the age of 65.
When hearing loss is related to aging, absolute deafness is rare.
Those who suffer from a loss of hearing in just one ear may have a benign tumor called acoustic neuroma, which affects the hearing nerve.
This tumor grows gradually, but will usually lead to total deafness, along with other issues.
There is only one treatment available, and that is surgery.
A lot of people suffer from chronic ear infections in the middle ear or have had the diseases mumps, measles, scarlet fever and meningitis.
All of those diseases and infections can cause hearing loss and should be discussed with your doctor.
If your ear canal or the bones in your ear are not working properly, this will impact hearing.
If there is something in the way of the ear canal, or obstructing the canal, this will hinder the flow of sound.
There are many people who thing the right method for cleaning the ears is to jam a Q-Tip in there; but this can actually push wax further in instead of cleaning it out.
Cotton swabs do have their place in cleaning the ears, but I would NEVER recommend sticking them deep inside the ear canal! Also, if you are prone to getting cerumen impactions, it's always best to check with your physician for advice.
Sometimes, the middle ear has hardening of the bones otosclerosis or extra fluid from allergies or infections.
There are certain drugs out there that can lead to damage of the ears, like specific antibiotics, aspirin, anti-arrythmics, and drugs used to treat malaria.
Trauma can damage hearing, to a hole poked in the eardrum, fractures to the skull, noise trauma gunfire, fireworks and pressure trauma, underwater diving or pressurized airplane cabins all can damage our sound systems.