Can the Weather Impact Your Hearing?

The changing seasons can have a noticeable effect on your hearing. As the weather shifts, various factors can impact how well you hear. This might seem surprising, but it’s something that many people overlook. Knowing how different seasons can affect your hearing is important for keeping your ears healthy throughout the year. But how can weather affect your hearing? Are there ways to protect your hearing aids?

Seasonal Changes and Hearing

Seasonal changes can impact your hearing in several ways. For example, during certain times of the year, pollen from trees, grasses and flowers can cause allergies. This pollen can lead to congestion and swelling in your nasal passages and Eustachian tubes, which connect your ears to your throat. When these tubes become blocked, it can create a feeling of pressure in your ears and make it harder to hear clearly. Managing allergy symptoms and staying aware of these seasonal effects can help protect your hearing throughout the year.

How the Cold Impacts Hearing

Wind, cold and pressure can cause multiple issues. For example, when the humidity drops in winter, your body is drier than usual. This extends to your ears, and you can experience an increase in earwax buildup. This leads to temporary hearing loss if left untreated and can also lead to infections. Ears are also very sensitive to the cold. It is recommended that you keep your ears warm during the winter.

Tinnitus and the Weather

The weather can affect tinnitus, a symptom of an underlying condition where you hear ringing or buzzing in your ears. Changes in temperature and humidity can sometimes make tinnitus worse. For instance, very cold or hot weather can lead to changes in blood flow or increase ear infections, both of which might intensify tinnitus. Humid or dry conditions can also affect your ear health and make the sounds in your ears more noticeable. Being mindful of the weather and taking steps to protect your ears can help manage tinnitus symptoms. Background noise, ear protection and keeping an eye on the weather can usually help.

How Weather Affects Hearing Aids

Your audiologist will typically inform you about how to look after hearing aids but may not go over how the weather affects them. If not, ask them about it and they will be more than happy to explain. Rain can get inside the devices and cause issues with the electronics. Even something as simple as wind can also cause issues.

The loud sounds of the wind can be picked up by the microphone. Seasonal changes and the issues that come with them, like pollen, can cause hearing loss and make tinnitus worse. Pressure changes, increased wind and the rain can also wreak havoc on your hearing. Hearing aids are also susceptible to some of the changes in the weather too!

If you are experiencing hearing loss and want to know if the weather can affect your hearing or your hearing aids, schedule an appointment with an audiologist. They can guide you in how to protect your hearing and devices during these seasonal changes.