Rarely Known Causes of Hearing Loss and How to Overcome Them

Some people may not know the causes of hearing loss and how to properly maintain ear health. Caring for ear hygiene and health needs to be done because the ear apart from being an organ of hearing also has a role in regulating body balance.

Causes of hearing loss

Hearing loss can occur due to the following:

1. Accumulation of fluid in the middle ear due to a cold
2. Earwax that accumulates and clogs the ear canal
3. There is a foreign object stuck in the ear canal.
4. Middle ear infection
5. Outer ear infection
6. disruption or damage to the eustachian tube, which is the tube that connects the ear to the nose and throat.

Hearing loss symptoms

The following are symptoms caused by hearing loss:

1. The sound is low.
2. Turn the TV sound and music up loud.
3. Ears are ringing.
4. Difficulty hearing other people's words and misinterpreting what is meant, especially when in a crowd.
5. Difficulty hearing consonants and high-pitched sounds.

1. You need to concentrate hard to hear what people are saying.
2. Sometimes asking other people to repeat the conversation.

How to Maintain Ear Health

How to maintain healthy ears can be done with the following things:

1. Stop the habit of picking ears.

Digging the ear, if done carelessly, can injure the ear and make the earwax go deeper. In the ear canal, the presence of a small amount of earwax is actually normal. Earwax is formed as a way to protect the ear canal from dirt and dust. However, sometimes there can be a buildup of earwax that makes the ears itchy or clogged. Therefore, many people use cotton buds, paperclips, or even hairpins to clean earwax. Be careful; this habit can actually hurt the ear and make the earwax go deeper. Actually, the ear has a natural way to clean its own dirt. But if earwax builds up and makes your ears feel uncomfortable or your hearing is disturbed, you should visit an ENT doctor to do an examination and clean your ears in a safe way.

2. Keep your ears away from loud sounds.

1. Listening to music using earphones should be limited in time, and there should be a rest period. Avoid music that is too loud.
2. If you work in a noisy environment, you should use earplugs.

3. Avoid using ear candles.

An ear candle is a technique for cleaning the ear using a special candle. The use of ear candles tends to be dangerous because they can cause injuries to the ear, such as burning and blockage of the ear canal.

4. Keeping Ears Dry

Wet or damp ear conditions allow bacteria and fungi to multiply in the ear, which can trigger irritation and infection in the ear. Use earplugs when swimming to prevent water from getting into your ears. Also, dry your ears with a clean, dry towel after every swim or shower.

5. Do regular ear checks.

Routine ear examinations with the ENT doctor are important to maintain ear health and detect if there is a disturbance in the ear. In this examination, the doctor will evaluate the health condition of the ear and hearing function by carrying out a physical examination of the ear and a hearing test. Through regular examinations with the doctor, signs or symptoms of ear disease can be detected early, and immediate treatment can be taken. If there are no complaints about your ears or hearing, you can have your ear health checked by an ENT doctor every 3–5 years.

However, if there are complaints in the ear, such as ear pain, discharge or blood from the ear, or sudden hearing loss, don't delay to immediately see an ENT doctor so that treatment can be given immediately. You should visit an ENT doctor at Hermina Tasikmalaya Hospital, dr. Adya Arradika, SpTHT-KL.