12 All-Natural Ways to Take Care of Your Ears

Just imagine not being able to hear your favorite music on the radio, your child's laughter, or even the person who is calling you. Your ears are vital for transmitting sound and balancing information to your brain; thus, it is essential that you take care of your ears and maintain their health.

How Do Ears Function?

When sound waves reach the ear canal, the eardrum, or tympanic membrane, vibrates. Behind this thin membrane, within the middle ear, lies a chain of three ossicles, sometimes known as fine bones. The vibration travels in a chain reaction from the eardrum to the last bone, the stapes, which eventually strikes the membrane window of the fluid-filled cochlea. This fluid movement triggers a response from the auditory (or hearing) nerve.

Why Is It Essential to Take Care of Your Ears?

The prevention of hearing loss is one of the most significant reasons to take care of your ears. In certain circumstances, hearing loss can be cured and even restored. However, this is not always the case.

Furthermore, the start of hearing loss is not always detectable. Therefore, it is essential to be aware of signs such as ringing in the ears. Tinnitus is a condition in which a person hears sounds in their brain that have no external source, meaning that others cannot hear them. It is frequently a subsequent response that develops after hearing loss has occurred.

Therefore, ear health is of utmost importance. In addition to being responsible for one of our five senses, the inner ear can significantly affect your capacity to maintain balance.

12 All-Natural Ways to Take Care of Your Ears

Please don't put off taking care of your ears until it's too late! Here are 12 all-natural ways to take care of your hearing and ears.

1.    Clean Your Ears

Did you know that the ear canals are self-cleaning, and that earwax does not develop or accumulate deep into the ear canal? So, by using a cotton swab, you really made the situation worse.

To ensure that your ears are clean, just use soap and water to wash the visible portions of your ears. After cleaning them, dry them with a towel. Avoid submerging your ears in bath water to avoid irritating your ear canal.

2.    Keep Your Ears Clean by Not Using Cotton Swabs

It is usual for people to use cotton swabs to remove earwax from their ear canal; however, this is not recommended. The presence of a little amount of earwax is not only natural but also essential.

Earwax prevents dust and other hazardous particles from entering the ear canal. It has antibacterial and anti-itching effects, and it aids in keeping the inner ear dry, which helps avoid infections. In addition, placing anything into ear canals risks injuring delicate organs such as the eardrum.

If your ear canal is clogged with wax, simply wipe it away with a moist cloth. You might also use the Kyrosol Ear Wax Removal System over a few nights. This softens the wax, allowing it to escape on its own gradually.

3.    Use Ear Protection Devices Around Noisy Environments

Noise-induced hearing loss affects around 15% of Americans due to noisy work or leisure situations¹. Clubs, concerts, chainsaws, and any other sounds that need shouting to be heard by the person next to you all produce unsafe sound levels. Due to their occupations, musicians, construction workers, and others who work in noisy surroundings are at a greater risk of developing hearing loss at an early age.

If you work in a noisy setting, inquire with your boss about the many types of hearing protection devices available to you. Popular noise-reduction options include earplugs and over-the-ear muffs, and audiologists can tailor noise-reduction aids to meet the specific requirements of each patient.

Musicians' earplugs are custom-made earplugs with filters that allow the wearer to hear conversations and music while reducing dangerous sound levels and preserving the original sound quality as nearly as possible.

Those who attend concerts or festivals in huge auditoriums and stadiums should also wear ear protection devices, as the noise levels might be dangerous. Additionally, it is advantageous to use ear protection devices during airline travels.

In addition, while selecting ear protection devices for noisy locations, avoid foam earplugs since they typically do not provide adequate noise suppression.

4.    Turn Lower the Volume

Around the world, 1.1 billion teens and young adults are in danger of noise-induced hearing loss due to the careless use of sound devices, according to the WHO.

If you love listening to music with headphones or earbuds, you can take care of your ears by adhering to the 60/60 rule. The recommendation is to listen with headphones at a maximum volume of 60 percent for no more than 60 minutes each day. Those who wish to listen to music for more than 60 minutes every day should do so at a maximum volume of 30 percent.

Due to their proximity to the eardrum, earbuds pose a particular threat. If you have the option, choose headphones that cover the entire ear.

Additionally, improperly cleaned earbuds may cause ear infections. Listening to music with earbuds at a volume of more than 105 dB can harm the ears, even if it is only used for 15 minutes a week.

5.    Allow Your Ears to Rest

It can take up to 16 hours for the ears to recover from a day spent in a high-noise environment. To take care of your hearing, take frequent pauses from loud surroundings. If you operate in a noisy environment daily, try to take at least ten minutes of quiet time per hour of work during your breaks.

Taking this time off will allow your ears to recover faster and lower your chance of hearing loss. If it is not possible to go to a quiet spot, consider using noise-canceling headphones during your breaks to simulate a calm area. Noise-canceling headphones are a fantastic approach to offer your ears a long-term break in workplace surroundings.

6.    Maintain Your Distance

Even a brief exposure to loud noise can temporarily reduce your hearing's sensitivity, often by as much as 30dB. While at a loud event, attempt to keep a safe distance between your body and the source of the loudest noise you'll be exposed to.

Consider sitting on a balcony or place distant from the stage at concerts to avoid being near the speakers. Those who reside close to or frequently pass by construction sites should choose an alternate route to their destination to decrease their noise exposure. 

7.    Dry Out Your Ears

Excessive dampness might cause germs to enter the ear canal and attack it. This can lead to swimmer's ear or other ear infections, which can be hazardous to your hearing. After bathing or swimming, be sure to pat your ears dry with a towel. If you feel the water in your ear, bend your head to the side and gently pull on the ear lobe to expel it.

You may also keep your ears dry and healthy by wearing earplugs designed for swimmers that prevent water from entering the ear canal. They are fantastic for adults and children equally, and they prevent swimmer's ear extraordinarily well. 

8.    Manage Your Stress

Anxiety and stress are associated with both temporary and persistent tinnitus. High-stress levels trigger the body's fight-or-flight response, an innate reaction that floods the body with adrenaline to help you fight or flight from danger. This procedure imposes great stress on your nerves, blood circulation, body temperature, and more. It is generally believed that this pressure and tension can go to the inner ear and contribute to tinnitus symptoms.

What's more, Harmony's Ear Candles can help alleviate rhinitis, sinusitis, ear infections, stress, and several other conditions. Warm smoke, aromatherapy, and ambient sound all work together to relax the body and let it heal itself.

Ear candling regenerates dermal breathing, therefore maintaining the normal tension of the eardrum following exposure to stressful events such as mountain trips, air travel, bathing, or undersea diving, which can result in a sensation of having one's ears covered².

Ear candling, in a nutshell, provides mental clarity and a sense of well-being. Therefore, give Harmony's Ear Candles a try.

9.    Get Frequent Checks

You may be suffering a gradual hearing loss if you have trouble hearing conversations, misunderstand what people say, or regularly ask individuals to repeat themselves. Have your doctor examine your ears as part of your yearly wellness visit. They will be able to assess if you require additional evaluation by an Audiologist.

The hearing loss left untreated has been related to numerous health issues, including depression and dementia. If you have ear pain or detect a change in your hearing, you should consult your doctor immediately.

10.        Try To Give Up Smoking

Several studies have determined that the risk of hearing loss among smokers is 60% more than that of nonsmokers. Cigarette smoke comprises nicotine and carbon monoxide, which can cause cell damage to the parts of the ear that turn vibrations into electrical impulses for the brain, and nicotine lowers blood flow and the availability of oxygen in the inner ear.

Exposure to secondhand smoking is also regarded as a risk factor for hearing loss in children. If you are having difficulty quitting smoking, see your healthcare provider about resources and drugs that may be able to assist you.

11.        Keep Moving

Did you know that regular exercise is beneficial to the health of your ears? Yes, it is correct. According to research, there is an association between cardiovascular health and ear health. Ear health professionals acknowledge the importance of exercise in preserving the health of your ears, much as cardiologists urge physical activity for heart health.

Walking, jogging, and cycling are cardiovascular workouts that pump blood to all body regions, including the ears. This keeps the internal components of the ear healthy and functioning to their fullest capacity. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate to intense activity five times each week.

12.        Rapidly Investigate Potential Warning Signs

Any chronic ear redness, discomfort, swelling, or itching may indicate an ear health problem. Hearing loss, impaired hearing, and ear discharge may potentially be early indications of issues requiring treatment. If you suffer somewhat of these symptoms, a hearing specialist's timely assessment might help you feel better, and it could also preserve your hearing in the long run.

The Bottom Line

Taking care of your ears is essential to your ability to hear well. In many cases, people don't even realize that they're damaging their hearing until it's too late. Following these 12 all-natural ways to take care of your ears will put you on the right route to having healthy ears and keeping your hearing. What's more, Harmony's Ear Candles and the Kyrosol Ear Wax Removal System will assist you in taking the best possible care of your ears.