Protect Yourself From Hearing Loss This Winter

As winter is approaching, you will want to do all that you can to protect yourself from hearing loss. Your ears are very sensitive to cold and moisture. The more you do to protect them, the longer you can avoid having any kind of hearing damage. There are several things that you can do to keep your ears warm and dry.

Protecting Your Ears

The best thing that you can do to protect your ears from the winter months is to make sure that they are covered well. This can be with earmuffs or a hat that comes down over your ears. The ear is mainly composed of cartilage with no fat to insulate the ears. Your ears will get colder than the rest of your body. Snow and rain will expose your ears to excess moisture, which can increase the risk of infection. Even if you are just going out for a few minutes, make sure that your ears are protected well from the cold.

Be Aware Of Exostosis

If you work outside, ski, or snowboard, you will want to take extra special care of your ears. When the ears are exposed to cold and wet weather, this can cause exostosis. This condition is where your body calls for bone growth in your ear canal. When this happens, it can cause the ear canal to get blocked. When the ear canal becomes blocked, it traps fluid in the ear. This can lead to frequent infections. Infections can eventually cause hearing loss and the need for hearing care. Whenever you are outside, make sure that your ears are kept dry and properly covered to prevent hearing loss.

Protecting Your Ears From Loud Noises In The Winter

During the winter, you are going to do things like run your snow blower to remove snow. Snow blowers are extremely loud and can exceed 100 decibels. If you are exposed to that noise for too long, it can cause damage to your hearing. To protect your ears, you will only want to use your snow blower in short bursts. You will also want to wear earplugs and earmuffs. This will help to ensure that your hearing is well protected.

Protecting Your Hearing Aids

If you already have hearing loss and use hearing aids, you will want to protect them well during the winter months. You should do the following:

• Moisturize. Moisture will be one of the biggest things that you need to protect your hearing aids from. Make sure that you wear a hat, scarf, or earmuffs whenever you go outside. When you come in from being outside, make sure that you take your hearing aids out of your ear and wipe them down. This will help to get rid of any moisture that might have developed.
• Watch Those Batteries. Batteries may drain faster during this time of year. Make sure that you check the charge on your batteries and pack a spare in case you need them.

Call Today

If you have questions about how to prevent hearing loss during the winter or you are having an issue with your hearing aids, please call us at Chicago Beltone today. Our hearing care specialists will help you to ensure that your ears are protected, healthy, and hearing well.