Being outside on a windy day can feel refreshing—until that brisk breeze starts whipping dust into your eyes, tangling your hair and making conversations harder to hear. It can also do a number on your hearing aids’ performance and inadvertently contribute to further hearing loss.
How Wind Affects Hearing Devices
The sophisticated microphones and receivers inside modern hearing aids are built to capture sound clearly. But when dust, pollen, sand or other debris enters these components, it can degrade sound quality and cause them to malfunction.
Wind can also create a constant rushing sound that competes with speech. For someone with hearing loss, understanding what other people are saying in these conditions may be even more difficult than it would be for someone with typical hearing. Background noise, which includes wind noise, is one of the most common listening challenges for people with hearing loss.
Easy Tips for Windy Days
Fortunately, a few simple habits can help keep your hearing devices—and your hearing health—in good shape during windy weather so you don’t miss a word.
Wear a hat, hood or headband. A hat, hood or athletic headband can help shield microphones from direct wind and reduce the amount of airborne debris reaching your devices.
Use wind-management features. Today’s hearing aids often include technology for detecting and reducing wind noise so that you don’t have to crank up the volume and inadvertently cause additional hearing damage. If you’re unsure whether your devices have this feature, ask your hearing care provider.
Clean your hearing aids regularly. After spending time outdoors, inspect your devices for dust or debris. Wipe them down with a soft, dry cloth and follow your audiologist’s cleaning recommendations.
Store devices properly. When you’re not wearing them, keep hearing aids in a protective case rather than placing them in a pocket, backpack or cup holder where dirt can accumulate and accidentally get in them.
Avoid turning up the volume excessively. Wearing your headphones or earbuds on a hike? Windy conditions can make sounds harder to hear, but increasing the volume too much on your headphones or earbuds may expose your ears to unsafe listening levels.
A Little Prevention Goes a Long Way
The next time the forecast calls for gusty conditions, take a moment to think about your hearing health before heading out the door. Being proactive by following the tips above will keep your devices performing their best and help prevent further hearing loss, no matter where the wind takes you.
If your hearing aids aren’t providing the support you need or you’re struggling with untreated hearing loss, we can help. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.