Summer Ear Care

It’s summer time and that means, fireworks, water, and travel. All of these things may impact your hearing health. Here are some tips on how to maintain healthy ear care throughout the summer months.

Noise Protection

Summertime brings on concerts, festivals, fireworks, and other noisy activities such as motorbikes and ATVs. Remember, to take precautions when participating in all of these hobbies as they can cause permanent and irreversible damage to your hearing. To prevent hearing loss, it’s important to follow these guidelines recommended by American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA):

1. Use Hearing Protection: You can purchase basic earplugs at any drug store or have an audiologist custom fit musician ear plugs. Children are generally better off using well-fitting earmuffs instead of earplugs.
2. Stay Away From Noise Sources: Listen from the back. It is reocmmended to stand at least 500 feet away from the sound source to help diminish hearing damage.

Make note of any warning signs after noise exposure. If your ears are ringing after a loud event, consult your local audiologist. For more information on sound safety read out blog, What Are Unsafe Listening Levels of Sound.

Water and Swimming

Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the outer ear canal caused by moisture trapped in the ear canal. It can also occur as a result of damage to the ear canal. Swimmer’s ear is more common in children, but can occur to anyone.

Swimmers ear is treated with medicated drops into the ear canal. To help prevent swimmer’s ear it is essential to keep the ear dry. You can keep the ear dry by following these steps:

• Use a towel to dry both ears well after swimming and bathing.
• Tilt the head to drain water from the ears. Pull on ear to straighten out the ear canals and let water out.
• Wear swimmer’s earplugs. An audiologist can make custom molds for children and adults or you can buy standard swim plugs at a local drug store. A swim cap may also help keep ears dry.

To help prevent infection, do not put anything in the ears. Cotton swabs, fingernails, and pointed objects can scratch the ear canal, making it easier to get an infection. Earwax helps protect ears from infection. If you think you have swimmer’s ear, seek a medical doctor for diagnosis and subsequent treatment.

Airplane Travel

Ear fullness occurs with changes in pressure. It is most prevelant with airplane travel due to the dreamatic imbalance between the pressure in the inner ear and the pressure in the outside environment. There’s not much that people can do to prevent changes in pressure on an airplane, but follow these tips to help alleviate symptoms:

• Encourage children to swallow—provide a drink for them to sip on.
• Have them suck on a pacifier.
• Keep them awake during takeoff and descent, so they can take prevention measures.

For older children and adults, try these strategies:

• Chew gum.
• Yawn, and swallow.
• Use Earplanes® or other travel earplugs.
• Stay awake during takeoff and descent.

Follow these steps to maintain healthy ear care this summer. For more information about hearing loss or any hearing related concerns, visit your local West Arvada audiologist.