It’s vital to protect your hearing health, especially in the cold and damp winter months.
Winter brings colder temperatures, damp weather, and unique challenges that can affect your hearing health. Whether you’re spending time outdoors enjoying winter activities or simply trying to stay warm, it’s important to take extra precautions to protect your ears during the colder months. With a little care, you can maintain your hearing health and avoid potential issues that come with winter weather. Let’s take a look at these easy tips.
Use Moisturizer to Prevent Dry, Cracked Skin
Cold air tends to dry out the skin, and your ears are no exception. The skin on your ears can become dry, flaky, and cracked, especially when exposed to harsh winter winds. To prevent this, it’s important to apply moisturizer to your ears regularly. Keeping your ears hydrated prevents discomfort and protects your ears from becoming irritated or painful.
Choose a moisturizer that’s gentle and free of scent or irritants, and avoid getting any lotion inside the ear canal. If you use hearing aids, be sure to remove them before applying moisturizer as it can damage your devices. Applying moisturizer in the morning before heading out into the cold and again in the evening can help keep your ears healthy and hydrated throughout the winter months.
Wear Hearing Protection When Operating Snow Machinery
Winter often means clearing snow from your driveway or sidewalks, but operating snow blowers, plows, or other snow removal equipment can expose your ears to loud noise levels. Exposure to these loud sounds can lead to hearing damage, so it’s important to protect your ears when using machinery.
Use earplugs or noise-canceling earmuffs when operating snow machinery. These protective measures help reduce the impact of loud noises on your hearing, preventing long-term damage. Even if you’re only using the equipment for a short period, it’s better to be safe and protect your ears from potential harm.
Keep Your Ears Warm with Ear Muffs or Hats
One of the easiest ways to protect your ears during winter is to keep them warm. Cold weather can cause ear pain and make your ears more susceptible to irritation or drying out. Wearing ear muffs, hats, or headbands that cover your ears helps keep them insulated from the cold.
If you wear assistive devices like hearing aids, choose hats or ear muffs that provide enough room to avoid pressing on your devices. Look for soft, loose-fitting options that will keep your ears warm without causing discomfort or interfering with the function of your hearing aids. Keeping your ears warm helps you stay comfortable and protects your overall ear health.
Use a Dehumidifier for Your Hearing Aids
Winter often brings moisture from snow, rain, and condensation, which can be damaging to hearing aids. Moisture can cause malfunctions in your hearing devices or reduce their effectiveness. To prevent this, try using a dehumidifier designed specifically for hearing aids.
Dehumidifiers remove excess moisture from your devices overnight, ensuring they’re dry and ready for use each day. If you’ve been outside in the snow or rain, it’s especially important to dry your hearing aids thoroughly before storing them. Regularly using a dehumidifier can extend the lifespan of your devices and keep them functioning properly throughout the winter. If you don’t have a dehumidifier, try gently blowing them with a hair dryer set to cool to remove moisture.
Avoid Overexertion in Cold Weather
While it’s tempting to shovel snow or engage in other outdoor activities in the winter, it’s important to avoid overexerting yourself. Physical overexertion, combined with cold weather, can lead to health issues that also affect your ears and hearing. Strenuous activity in cold temperatures can sometimes cause pressure changes in your ears, leading to discomfort.
Take frequent breaks when working outdoors and avoid pushing yourself too hard in extreme cold. Make sure to drink plenty of water or hot tea to stay hydrated as well.
Winter weather brings unique challenges, but with a few precautions, you can protect your hearing health and ensure that your ears and health remain in top condition. Stay warm and safe this winter with these tips and find more helpful advice on the CapTel blog.
