Hearing well can have such a positive impact on life but most people take it for granted. Unfortunately, when hearing problems arise, life seems less enjoyable for so many reasons. When our ears are healthy, we listen to music, we partake in everyday conversations, we joke around, we learn better, we feel more confident, and even may have a better job. We may care about things a little more than when we find ourselves dealing with some form of hearing loss. A major part of keeping our ears (and our hearing) healthy is how we care for our ears. Just like other aspects of proper hygiene, caring for our ears will help us hear better, longer. At the first sign of a hearing issue, we recommend you visit your physician or come see us at one of our offices. Our hearing services can help diagnosis the issue of hearing loss and we will get you back on track to making life more meaningful by hearing better once again. Symptoms of hearing issues or ear disease include pain or swelling, fever, running fluid draining, muffled sounds or inability to hear well, not eating, and diarrhea or vomiting. Caring for your ears takes common sense and awareness. When listening to extreme sounds or noises, protect your ears with headsets or earplugs. Turn down the volume of the music in your ear buds. Ear buds, such as those that come with an IPOD or MP3 player, do not protect your hearing. Also, listening to music while using power tools is dangerous to your hearing and should be avoided. Likewise, when using personal sound systems, the volume should be at a comfortable level. If someone else can hear what you are listening to, the volume is too high. Remove the headphones from time to time to give your ears a rest. It is also advised to wear ear plugs when you attend a loud rock concert or event. Cleaning your ears also takes time and care. We suggest that you wipe the outer ear with a washcloth or tissue. Do not put anything into your ear smaller than your elbow. Do not use Q-tips, bobby pins or sharp pointed objects to clean your ears. These objects may injure the ear canal or eardrum. Do not be alarmed by ear wax inside the ear as it is a normal product of healthy ears that protects the skin from water and infection. Our ear wax removal  services can eliminate the buildup which is the leading cause of hearing aid malfunction. There are many reasons to care for your ears, but the biggest one is simply the ability to hear better for longer. Keeping your ears healthy and free of infections and buildup will allow you to hear the world around you better. If you find that you are having a hard time hearing like you used to, our audiologists can perform a hearing test to determine the issue and suggest ways to improve your hearing. From hearing aids to ear wax removal, we have solutions for your hearing needs. Contact us today to improve your hearing.