6 tips to protect your ears

Our ears perceive the sounds that surround us and are continually exposed to the noise pollution that we ourselves create. Often, we overlook this noise and forget how important it is to look after our hearing health. Have you ever asked yourself what you can do to protect your ears?

How to prevent hearing loss

At Kiversal, we specialize in audiometric devices and would like to provide you with information on protecting your hearing. For this reason, we’re sharing 6 tips recommended by the Spanish Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (SEORL CCC) that you should follow to avoid possible hearing problems:

1. Moderate your use of electronic devices: the continuous use of portable music players, televisions or telephones at an excessive volume is extremely harmful to your ears. Reduce the intensity of the noise and the exposure time – particularly if you use headphones – as there is a real risk of hearing loss, which is increasing among young people. We highly recommend you follow the 60/60 rule: use these devices for no more than 60 minutes a day at no more than 60% volume.
2. Be aware of moisture: make sure you dry your ears well after you shower or swim. You can use ear plugs to prevent water from entering the ear canal.
3. Use hearing protection if you work with loud machinery: some work environments involve continuous exposure to very loud noise. Airport ground control staff, miners, Formula 1 drivers and even waiting staff are clear examples of professionals for whom noise is a real threat to their hearing health. It is vital to stress the importance of hearing protection in these professions in order to minimize the impact of noise on the eardrum and prevent any hearing problems getting worse in the future.
4. Don’t put anything in your ears: never use a hairpin or any other object to scratch or remove wax from your ears. Using cotton buds is not advisable, as they can push against and damage the membrane and the inside of the ear and cause blockages.
5. Be extra careful when you have a cold or the flu: when we are ill, we are more likely to suffer an ear infection that could cause hearing loss. In most cases, if the infection is treated in time by a specialist, hearing will return to normal.
6. Visit a medical specialist: book an appointment to see a doctor if you notice any discomfort in your ears or any signs of hearing loss or impairment. See an ENT specialist to prevent symptoms from worsening. It is important to have regular check-ups and a hearing test at least once a year, especially from the age of 50. At Kiversal, we recommend you undergo a hearing test with a digital audiometer such as the Audixi 10, as they are extremely precise and accelerate the screening procedure in medical centers to allow results to be obtained more quickly.

Remember: the habits we follow now will affect our hearing health in the future. Thanks to these 6 health tips, you can start looking after your ears.