8 Daily Habits That Are Harming Your Hearing

Hearing loss is one of the major public health problems facing the world. The latest World Hearing Report released by the World Health Organization shows that one-fifth of the world’s people are currently hearing impaired, and hearing loss affects more than 1.5 billion people worldwide. Sadly, only one-third of them are actually aware of the issue. Most of them choose to live with hearing loss day in and day out. Your daily life could be taking a toll on your ears and today, we will tell you about bad habits that are damaging your hearing, keep reading till the end to learn about all of them.

1. Listening to loud music

Long-term exposure to noise higher than 85 decibels will cause the hearing cells of the ear; when it exceeds 100 decibels, it may cause irreversible hearing damage. After people put on headphones, the high-volume audio sound pressure directly enters the ears and is concentrated on the thin eardrums. Over time, it is easy to c ause tinnitus, insomnia, headache, ear fullness and progressive hearing loss. It has been suggested that listening to music with headphones at 60 percent or less volume for about an hour a day is the max amount of noise exposure your ears can handle.

2. Using cotton swabs

It’s very common for people to relieve their itching ears with cotton swabs, especially after a shower. However, it is not advisable to use swabs to dig your ears. You may perforate your eardrums. This can lead to tympanic membrane deep in the ear canal, suppurated otitis media and other diseases, resulting in varying degrees of hearing loss. Ears are self-cleaning organs that stop foreign objects such as bugs, ants, or other insects from entering your ears. If you have an excess wax problem, visit your doctor or enquire for a free hearing test.

3. Alcohol

If you have a heavy drinking habit, it’s not just your liver that is suffering. A study showed that moderate to high alcohol consumption can put your hearing health in jeopardy. High levels of alcohol in the body damage the hair cells in the inner ear. This inhibits your ability to process sounds.

4. You’re always stressed

Stress and anxiety have been linked to both temporary and permanent tinnitus, which is a phantom ringing in the ears. High levels of stress cause your body to go into fight or flight mode. Studies have found that negative emotions such as anger, depression, and sadness can all induce sudden deafness.

5. Wrong Diet

Eating the wrong foods, or not eating the right foods, can cause and worsen hearing loss. Unlike other parts of your body, the inner ear, where most of your hearing happens, has cells that don’t heal or regenerate once they’ve been damaged. To keep them nourished, eat a hearing-healthy diet that includes sufficient Potassium, Folic acid, Magnesium, and Zinc.

6. Smoking

You must’ve heard times and again that smoking is bad for your health and leads to cancer disease, but do you know smoking is also bad for your hearing health? When you smoke, certain chemicals that are released into the bloodstream bind to receptor sites that are responsible for hearing low-pitched sounds. The more you smoke, the stronger these bindings become, until you lose the ability to hear certain low sounds.

7. Going to the Movies

Studies have shown that the average noise level in a theater is around 94 decibels. Hearing loss starts at 85. It’s probably something you shouldn’t do all of the time if you want to keep your hearing. If the movie is uncomfortably loud, walk out and get your money back.

8. Obesity

People who are very overweight experience more issues with their heart health and circulation. They are also at a higher risk for hearing health. The inner ear depends on good blood flow to stay healthy. And a weakened circulatory system can be detrimental to the structures of the ear that are essential for hearing. Diabetes can restrict blood flow and even destroy small blood vessels, which can also have a negative effect on the inner ear.