As one of the five senses, our hearing is one of our greatest strengths. Once damaged or gone, it can be devastating and result in huge changes to our lives. No matter whether you work in an office, warehouse, or as a tradesperson, there are a number of ways you can protect them to ensure they have a long and healthy life.
Protect them from excessive noise
If your job requires you to work in a noisy environment your hearing can be greatly impacted over time. Whether it’s a building site, demolition site, or doing work for customers at their homes, having the right protection can prolong the life of your hearing. Make sure you invest in some good-quality ear defenders as these work to reduce the strain put on your ears.
Whatever you do, don’t think that not wearing them for one job won’t hurt. This could be the job that tips them over the edge and does the most damage.
Turn down music
Let’s face it, we all love to blast our music loud and sing along whenever possible. Whether we’re working out in the gym or taking a long drive in the car, excessively loud music can have more of a detrimental effect than you might think.
Keeping your music at a lower, more sensible level can prevent hearing loss over time. According to experts, the hair cells in our ears start to become damaged by noise at around 85 decibels and above. It’s interesting to note that music at concerts and in clubs is often played at around 100dB, which can cause big problems over time.
Make sure they have time to recover
If your ears have been exposed to loud noises or music for an extended period of time, give them time to rest in-between to help them recover. This could mean swapping shifts if you’re working in a nightclub or on a noisy construction site but don’t forget, your hearing health is more important.
Don’t use cotton swabs
Most of us like to clean our ears at home with cotton swabs, but did you know these can also have a negative effect on your hearing? If you’re wondering what else you can use to clean them, wonder no more! All you need is a warm flannel to gently remove any wax. Alternatively, if you have a more severe build-up, you can always reach out to your local doctors who will be able to give you or advice on an appropriate method of treatment.
