Ears are a special part of our body and like any other organs, we should take good care of it. Ear is the road to the heart. It seems an appropriate description: consider how a child cries. Ears not only let us hear, but also play a role in maintaining our balance, which is vital to our ability to function in daily life.
Yet we ignore them. We cant even see or hear except in a mirror. We take for granted what they do for us day in, day out. We then notice something’s wrong, such as when an ear ache or when we start having to ask people to repeat what they say. So it is important that we set some guidelines that will prioritize ear health.
To learn more ways on how to take good care of your ears, consider the following tips.
1. Never listen to loud music for more than two hours straight. This includes earphones of your mobile devices and other appliances that have an output of 100db.
2. Clean your ears with wash cloth using your fingers. Clean the outer part of your ear but never put anything inside your ear canal such as cotton swabs. Using swabs can damage
your canal and may push the ear wax directly into your ear drum.
3. Avoid severe blows to the head. This includes contact sports such as boxing.
4. Avoid noisy places such as construction sites, concerts firing range or anything that creates tremendous noise. These places will damage your hearing in the long run.
5. If your work is at higher risk of noise pollution, make sure that you take a rest for an hour or two before continuing your work. This can relieve your ear from extreme noise pressure and stress.
6. Use ear protection plugs is you can’t avoid public places. Turn the volume of your car radio or anything that can irritate your hearing.
7. Stop deadly habits such as smoking and illegal drugs. People who indulge in these activities are said to have higher probability of hearing loss.
8. Keep other health conditions in check. Infections and illnesses can spread anywhere including your ears. Make sure that you treat yourself from any illnesses as much as possible.
9. Check your medications. Over consumption of incorrect medicinal drugs can affect your hearing negatively. You should follow your doctor’s advice to the letter at all times.
10. Visit your doctor at least twice a year for an ear check up. If possible, include it on your annual physical examination just to make sure that you are fine. Consult on any signs and symptoms of hearing loss. Prevention may save you from getting deaf.
These tips are practical, simple and effective in taking care of your ears. Following these ten tips can prolong a good ear health even if you are aging.
Helen Ekpo Peter is a 400 level student of Mass Communication of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State.