How to prevent hearing loss

Ashish Shah | Published 11 April 2022 | Updated 14 January 2025 | 5 mins read

A heartwarming moment between a young granddaughter whispering into her grandmother's ear, both sharing a joyful, loving smile.

Many people experience hearing loss at some stage in their life. Sometimes it can’t be prevented and develops either naturally over time or as the result of trauma or infection. Other times it can be prevented by protecting your ears from loud noises and damage from external factors. By taking extra precautions to protect your hearing, you can make sure your hearing stays clearer for longer and delay the effects of hearing loss as long as possible. Read on to learn how to look after your hearing and prevent hearing loss.

Can hearing loss be prevented?

Some types of hearing loss such as age-related hearing loss can’t be prevented as they occur due to damage to the inner structures of your ears or to the cochlear nerve which transmits sound to your brain. However, some types of hearing loss such as noise-induced hearing loss can be prevented or delayed with the proper precautions.

8 ways to look after your hearing

Making sure you’re taking care of your hearing is important to preventing future hearing loss. Here are eight ways you can ensure your ear health and help to prevent hearing loss where possible.

A close-up of custom-molded earplugs fitted in a young woman's ear, showing the precise, personalsed shape of the hearing protection device.

1. Turn the volume down

One of the leading causes of hearing loss is exposure to loud noise. It can be irreparable – once the hair cells within your ears are damaged by excessively high volume, they cannot be repaired. If you want to protect your ears, it’s important to turn it down and limit the time you’re exposed to these loud sounds, giving yourself regular breaks. As a rule of thumb, try to keep the volume level no higher than 60% of maximum.

2. Wear hearing protection

If loud noises simply can’t be avoided, such as you have a job that exposes you to regular loud noise, you are a frequent flyer, or you enjoy going to music festivals and gigs, it’s important to invest in some hearing protection. Devices such as ear plugs and ear defenders help to block loud noises which overtime can damage the delicate hair cells inside your ears which leads to loss of hearing. In a perfect world, we’d all be wearing noise-reducing earplugs.

A woman sitting on a sofa with her eyes closed, looking peaceful and serene, holding a cup with both hands in a quiet, calm setting.

3. Take breaks from loud environments

When the loud noises can’t be fully avoided and you don’t have hearing protection, take regular breaks instead. Put some separation between you and the noise source as often as you can to preserve your hearing. And invest in some good quality hearing protection where possible. Your workplace should arrange hearing protection for employees if sound exceeds certain thresholds.

4. Stop using cotton buds

Putting cotton buds (or anything else small and pointy) into your ears is harmful. It can cause itchiness, infections, earache, tinnitus, balance problems, and hearing loss. You are also at risk of damaging the ear canal, compacting wax, or even worse, potentially perforating the ear drum.

Our ears do a fine job of cleaning themselves of debris, but if you feel like you need to remove any excess wax, it’s important to get it done by a professional via an ear wax removal procedure.

5. Keep your ears dry

A little water in your ears every now and again isn’t the end of the world. But if you’re a regular swimmer, for example, you might need to be a bit more careful. Water can carry infection-causing bacteria, which can be both painful and damaging to your hearing – this type of infection is called swimmer’s ear. Swimmers should look at getting custom-made swimming earplugs for extra protection, and make sure to gently towel dry your ears after you get out of the pool.

6. Exercise

Getting plenty of physical activity can help to increase blood flow and lower blood pressure, both of which can prevent hearing loss. High blood pressure and decreased blood flow can put stress on the blood vessels in your ears, which can damage the delicate structures and cochlear nerve, causing hearing loss.

A woman sit on a sofa with her eyes closed looking like peaceful in a quiet place holding her cup with two hands.

7. Eat a healthy diet

We all know the importance of a well balanced diet for staying healthy. And that includes healthy hearing. Foods like bananas, fish, garlic, and whole grains can help to lower the risk of hearing loss by supporting healthy blood flow, lowered blood pressure, and essential vitamins that support the delicate inner ear structures.

8. Get your hearing checked regularly

The sooner you spot a problem, the sooner it can be sorted. But this can’t be done if you’re not getting regular check-ups. In fact, on average it takes 7 years for sufferers to address a hearing condition – in which time their hearing may have deteriorated significantly. Make sure you book an appointment with your audiologist as soon as you or your loved ones notice any signs of hearing loss – The Hearing Care Partnership offers free hearing assessments so it’s worth booking in a test if you’ve noticed any of the signs of hearing loss or if it’s just been a while since your last one.

By taking a few extra precautions and steps in your daily life, you can significantly lower your risk of developing hearing loss. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, not all hearing loss can be prevented. Which is why there are plenty of different treatment options for hearing loss.

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