How to take care of your ears

Today we will learn how to take care of the ears. I was supposed to write this blog last month (or before that, I don’t even remember now) and now I am finally writing this. I got the idea of this blog randomly. As I wanted to write something new for my How-to series.

I really think ears are neglected a lot. Of course, we listen through them, so we can’t ignore the sound. But, we also mistreat our ears. That mistreatment can cause infection, loss of hearing or deafness.

So, I have decided to share some easy-to-follow things, that can give your ears some extra life.

Let’s have a look at these things:

1. Protect from water and do some gentle cleaning

Ears must be protected from water. Whether, you are bathing or swimming, avoid water going into your ears at all costs. When I was a child, I used to have a major issue with water going into my ears. I was so young that I was unable to understand what was causing an earache. This problem bothered me for a very long time. With time, I learned my lesson.

Water when not removed can cause infection or worse. Those people who find it hard to avoid water going into their ears can use earplugs. This inexpensive thing can protect your ears from unwanted water. It’s especially good for children and the elderly.

The best way to clean your ears after a bath/shower is to gently rub your ears with a dry cotton cloth. Don’t rub it too hard, just a gentle rub.

You can get earplugs from here > https://amzn.to/3UhT6Xe

2. Avoid high volume

Another important tip is to avoid high volume. Our ears are not made for repetitive higher volumes. High volumes could cause Tinnitus, Sensitivity (normal sound may feel louder) or even permanent hearing loss. Sound below 80 dB is considered safe.

No matter what companies like LBL, Pony or Nose tell you, there’s no headphone or speaker available in the market that can protect your ear or your hearing. So, you need to protect your ear from any loud noise. I am not telling you to stop listening to the music on headphones, but make sure the volume is not high, and avoid it for an extended period.

If you feel ringing in your ears or any kind of discomfort, visit a doctor immediately.

Here are various noise levels produced by different sources:

You can find similar images on the internet, but not as amazing as this one.

3. Food that’s good for ears

There are certain nutrients/vitamins/electrolytes that are good for the ears.

These are:

Magnesium protects the nerves in the ears. Some sources are dark chocolate, almonds, figs, spinach, flax seeds, peanuts, avocados etc.

Potassium balances the hearing of the ears, which reduces as we age. Some sources are bananas, potatoes, oranges, raisins, apricot, kidney beans etc.

Zinc increases immunity and protects from bacteria. Some sources are garlic, curd, mushrooms, pumpkin seeds etc.

Folate (vitamin B9) increases blood circulation in the ears. Some good sources are tomatoes, peas, turnips, spinach etc.

Another great vitamin for ear nerves is Vitamin B12. You can naturally get Vitamin B12 from fish, eggs, meat, milk, and curd. For vegans nutritional yeast, fortified cereals etc.

Omega-3 protects from hearing loss. Some sources include flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, soybean etc.

4. Ear wax is good

Believe it or not ear wax is actually good for ears. People often try to clean it with buds. But ear wax protects our ears from dust, bacteria and small objects. Yes, we do need to clean our ears when we find difficulty in hearing. But that should be done by a doctor. Don’t try to clean your ears with buds or pencil or car keys.

You may also find many ear drops in the market. But use them only after a doctor’s suggestion.

5. Avoid stress

Stress is not good for you and definitely not good for your ears. High levels of stress can put pressure on your nerves, blood flow and body heat. These can trigger ringing in the ear. Reduced blood flow in the ear can also cause hearing loss or deafness.

You can also do some ear massages, but do them under an expert’s supervision.

Here are some ways by which you can tackle stress. It’s a guest blog that I’ve written for my favourite blogger: WAYS THAT CAN HELP YOU MANAGE STRESS

Some additional things to remember:

It is advisable to consult a doctor before trying to treat yourself at home.

FGW

That’s it for this blog. Drop comments if you have learnt something new today. Even if you didn’t learn anything new with this blog Just, drop a Hi, and we can discuss how I can make my blog better.

Until next time take care of your ears & don’t forget to smile.

78 responses to “How to take care of your ears”

  1. Thank you for this useful information. 😊 I like how you detailed which specific nutrients are good for the ears also. Very helpful.

    • Well a little secret, I wrote that part just before publishing. I got that idea very suddenly. Otherwise, this blog was reading since last week. I was ready to share, but put it on a hold due to a guest blog. Haha

  2. It’s funny because I was google searching this earlier today, and as soon as I logged into WP, your blog post was the first one to appear at the top of my newsfeed about the same topic. How crazy is that?? I feel like my computer tracks what I am searching and knows what to show me – or maybe it’s just a coincidence. I am actually 90% deaf in my right ear and always worry about my hearing worsening. I was born with the inability to filter out loud noise. Loud noise damages my ears more than the average person so I am always looking for ways to protect my ears. Great article btw!

    • I’m glad to see you again Hilary.
      I’m even more happier to see your comment after an eternity 😝.
      I really think you know more than me about the ways to protect ears.
      It’s preferable to maintain proper hygiene of the ears.
      Protecting from loud noise and water is important as well.
      Are you eating the diet mentioned in the blog?? Like vitamin B9 and B12 etc??

  3. Nice informative post. Our ears are so important. Although, I’m not sure I could wear earplugs in the shower since I like to play music during it, at a suitable level of course. 😊

    • That sounds fun!!
      Generally ear plugs is for those who can’t control water going into the ears. I don’t use them either. But, I rub my ears gently after bathing.
      Music sounds great, I used to do that too.
      What kind of music?

      • Ahh gotcha!
        I listen based on my mood and it can be anything from instrumental, jazz, epic scores, alternative, metal, country, r&b, hip hop… I’m not picky.

        What do you listen to?

  4. 🙋🏼‍♀️
    Another excellent and informative post🤗 I wasn’t aware of the nutritional portion thus I learned something new. Yeah! 😊
    In my portion of US recently I’ve heard radio ads for a new cleansing product for ears.
    I say no thanks same as a few years ago stopped purchasing Q-tips.
    Keep with your educational posts!!

  5. My father is one of those aging 60s-70s hippies that went to a LOT of rock concerts. Now, he’s nearly deaf in one ear. He’s also obsessed with cleaning his ears, which I don’t think is healthy.

  6. Hi Devang,

    Two weeks ago, while taking a bath, water entered in my both ears, causing hearing problems.

    It’s normal, as we have been facing such incidents since our childhood.

    Also, I was using music as a tool to get easy sleep. Songs keeps playing while I’m in the deep sleep.

    To avoid this, I have turned on app timer (max. 30 minute) for YouTube.

    Because of continuous music playing + water entry, my ears started affecting.

    So, I have learnt to manage both things:

    1. Avoiding listening to music when sleeping, and
    2. stopping water from getting inside the ears.

    My left ear is fine now. But right ear has little more affected. I hear, sound similar to, air passing slowly.

    Thank you for this thoughtful and useful post.🙂

  7. Thank you for such an interesting and informative post on ear care, Devang. I did know about loud music and not using cotton buds in the ears, but I was interested to read that some of the nutrients in our foods are good for our hearing, too. I will make sure to include these in my diet. My hearing is good so far, although my late Mum was quite deaf. Still, that was only in her latter years. I used to listen to very loud music when I was younger, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I begin to have problems with my hearing as I get older like my Mum did. I don’t have the music on loud anymore, though … Ellie 🦢🌷😘

  8. This is such an informative post although I am unhappy to learn that the only thing I have been doing right is using nutritional yeast 😂 But really great advice and thanks for the linking the article you wrote for my site 😊

  9. Thanks for your good article on this topic. Ears are very important. I carry silicone earplugs with me wherever I go. If I end up in a construction zone or near a concert, I can protect my ears. If I work at a cafe or library I won’t be distracted by people’s conversations. Great graphics, Devang. You’re a talented graphic artist!

  10. Prevention is very important! I lost part of my hearing due to attending rock concerts with no earplugs! My first husband said “no one wears them” and it would embarrass him to be seen with someone wearing them, so I didn’t, in order to please him. Big mistake. I’m the one left with a compromised hearing now!

    I highly recommend following wise advice and ignoring advice that could harm us!

  11. Health is needed for the body bro. Such a nice post and I now have to start using these remedies for a healthy ear life. The food and avoiding loud music is just icing on the cake, very imperative 🙏🔥

  12. This is a great post about ear health! I agree that ear health is often neglected, but it’s so essential to overall health and well being. I have tinnitus, which occurred after I suffered a hairline fracture on my nose a few years ago. It used to be ongoing and worse when I sighed, loved my head downwards, or laid down on my side. It’s improved, or maybe I’ve gotten used to it and don’t know. Lol.
    Where do you think fireworks would land on that decibel image? On Independence Day, July 4th in the US, we went to see some fireworks. It was beautiful but so loud with all the crackling, whizzing, and popping sounds. Ok, maybe we stayed too long; 50 minutes. All 4 of us came back with headaches although we loved the show. Had to take a headache medicine to deal with the side effects.

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