It’s that time of year again! Time to pull out the winter coats, boots, and gloves and face the cold winter weather.

But before you head outdoors for work, don’t forget the winter hats and ear muffs. Children as well as adults suffer from ear infections during the winters due to cold, flu and chilly winds. 

12 tips to take care of your ears this winter:

  1. Drink plenty of water and stay well hydrated. Do keep your ears warm by wearing a hat, headband, earmuffs or a good ski helmet.
  2. Maintain proper hand washing hygiene before and after eating.
  3. Shower twice a day if prone to ear infections.
  4. Take care to avoid wetting the ear. Close the ears with cotton swabs, while bathing.
  5. Don’t put cotton wool in your ears to protect them from the wind. This actually can cause inflammation in the ear canal.
  6. Do dry your ear canal as well as possible after showering, swimming or using a sauna. With care, you may be able to do this with a hair dryer.
  7. Don’t neglect an ear infection. See your physician or an ENT specialist. Left untreated, an infection can get worse and cause serious damage.
  8. Do stick to a healthy diet which includes eating more of fruits & vegetables, complex carbs, lean protein and healthy fats like omega-3 and do plenty of exercise to stimulate blood circulation to your ears.
  9. Don’t use hot water to warm up cold ears.
  10. Avoid cold drinks/ food, processed, fried and junk food.
  11. Don’t smoke.
  12. Avoid drinking alcohol.