Did you know your ears are affected by the cold? Check out how to best care for your hearing this season here.
Hearing is one of the five senses that give us an enormous capacity to communicate and enjoy life and health. Our ears, connected to our brains, help us interpret speech, sounds, background noises, etc. However, did you know that the fall season can affect your ears? During the fall, one can be more at risk of hearing loss in several ways.
Earwax Buildup
The cold weather of autumn has a greater effect on our ears than one might realize. As extremities with little to no fat, the ears are two body parts most susceptible to the cold. As such, earwax tends to harden and trap moisture inside the canal to protect them from the cold. Unfortunately, this mechanism can lead to impacted earwax and related health issues like tinnitus, vertigo, and ear infection.
Ear Infections
Ear infections happen due to bacteria either in the moisture trapped in the ear or in the throat or nose. A cold can cause bacteria to trail up the Eustachian tubes into the middle ear. An ear infection can cause pain, tinnitus, a full or echoic feeling in the ear, or dizziness. Ear infections tend to clear themselves out, but repeated ones can cause hearing loss.
Seasonal Allergies
In Maryland, one might suffer from either spring allergies, fall allergies, or both. Irritants can also induce symptoms similar to those of an ear infection. Should your symptoms persist, it would be best to see an audiologist for an evaluation. If need be, you may want to have professional earwax removal as well.
Protecting Your Ears in Fall
Protecting your ears this fall starts with staying healthy. Drink plenty of fluids, eat vitamin C, and keep warm. To avoid the adverse effects the cold can have on your ears, you might want to invest in a snug, over-the-ears hat or earmuffs. If you think you will enter a high-decibel environment, you can be safe rather than sorry and carry ear protection with you. Your efforts will help you maintain healthy hearing for years to come.
Trust the Experts at Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions
Need help with your hearing? Clarity Hearing can help. Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions is an independently owned and operated clinic that focuses on quality of care and personalized, friendly service to the surrounding areas of Ellicott City, Catonsville, Columbia. Our Doctors of Audiology are highly trained with advanced degrees and take the time to provide the personalized care and attention that you need and deserve. We provide advanced hearing aid options that are personally calibrated with cutting-edge digital technology to fit your hearing loss, your unique ear anatomy, and your individual listening needs.
You can call us today to schedule a FREE Hearing Protection Consultation at 410-698-6594! For more blog posts, news, and updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.