Care of the ear EAR HEALTH & EAR SAFETY

by Captain Abubakar Ozovehe Aliyu

changing head positions. These signals are transmitted to the brain and back to the muscles to help maintain

2. Avoid listening to music players, TV,andRadioatahighvolume.

3. Protect your ears against noise at the workplace by using noiseprotectivegadgets.

4. Don’t use cotton buds. Using cotton buds in the ear is a common practice among individuals, however it is not advisable to use in the ear because it can cause build-up of ear wax and can also injure the ear canal and drum.Itis worthnoting thatear wax is normal and it self-cleans the ear, preventing dust and particles fromentering.

StructureoftheEar

the most visible part of the human hearing system. It is located on each side of the head and it is responsible for hearing and balance. Over 20% of the world’ s population have ear problems that cut across all socioeconomic classes. Ear problems occur more commonly in the young and older age groups. Presently, the incidence is rising in themiddleagegroup.

FunctionsoftheEar

The ear has 2 main functions: hearingandbalance

Hearing: When sound enters the ear canal, the tympanic membrane vibrates. This vibration passes to the 3 tiny bones (ossicles) in the middle ear. The ossicles amplify and transmit these sound waves to the inner ear, from where it reaches the brainthroughthenerves.

Balance: The inner ear contains semi -circular canals which contain fluid and hair sensors that are sensitive to

The ear is divided into the external ear, middle ear and inner ear. The external ear is made up of the outer structure called the pinna and the ear canal. The eardrum separates the external ear from the middle ear. The middle ear consists of tiny bones called the ossicles and also communicates with the throat through a tiny tube. The inner ear has the cochlea which is responsible for hearing and the semi-circular canalforthemaintenanceofbalance.

Howtoknowyouhave Hearingloss

1. When you are having difficulty hearing in conversation especially in thepresenceofbackgroundnoise.

2.Whenyoufrequentlyaskothersto repeatwhattheyhavesaid.

3. You have difficulty hearing on the telephone.

4. Requiring a louder-than-normal volumeforyourtelevisionorradio in aroom.

Waystocarefortheear

1. Use hearing protection for loud music. If you regularly go to the concerts, nightclubs and bars, ensure you are protecting your ears from loud music by using earplugs or taking regular breaks from sounds.

5. Keep stress under control. High levels of stress and anxiety can put pressure on your nerves, blood flow and body heat. These all trigger ringing in the ear (tinnitus). It is advisable to take extra care to stay calmandavoidstress.

6. Keep your ears dry. It is advisable to dry your ears properly after washing or swimming. Excessive moisture can cause a build-up of infections in the ear canal. You can dry your ears by tilting your head to onesideortoweldrythem.

Earsafetyprotocol

1. Always wear a helmet when biking or skiing or when you participate in any other activity that puts you at risk of head and ear injuries.

2. When flying in an airplane, swallow and yawn frequently when the plane is coming down or descending. If you have a cold or sinus infection, take a decongestant or a decongestant spray few hours beforeflying.

3. You can use earplugs with special filters to help equalize the air pressureinearduringairtravel.

4. Have your ears checked regularly by a doctor or specialist when you haveproblemswithyourears.

5. Visit an ear doctor immediately if you injure your ears, experience ear painornoticeanyabnormality.