Five Ways to Have a Healthy Hearing Summer

There’s nothing quite like summertime in Chicago! Whether you are strolling along Lake Michigan, cheering on the Cubs, or simply enjoying the rhythms of the city, be sure to make healthy hearing a part of your summer.

1. Protect Your Hearing From Noise Damage 

Many of the sounds of summer are loud enough to cause hearing loss. Fireworks on the 4th of July, concerts, parades, lawn mowing, boating, motorcycle riding, and the Chicago Air and Water Show are all examples of activities that can damage the fragile hearing cells in your ears

Fortunately, noise-induced hearing loss is completely preventable if you consistently use hearing protection. Foam earplugs at a drugstore, earmuffs from a hardware store, custom-made musician earplugs fitted by an audiologist are all options for protecting your ears. Our audiologists are happy to make recommendations for hearing protection for you and your loved ones based on your listening needs

2. Move Your Body

Your cardiovascular system plays an important role in your hearing health. The sensory cells in your hearing organ (the cochlea) need healthy levels of blood flow in order to stay damage-free. People with poor cardiovascular health are at greater risk of developing hearing loss as a result. Incorporating fun movement into your summer is a great way to keep your heart healthy, which keeps your ears healthy, too!

3. Put Sunscreen on Your Ears

When you put sunscreen on your face, don’t forget your ears! According to The Cleveland Clinic, the ears are the third most common location for skin cancer. In addition to applying sunscreen daily, consider wearing a hat/headband over your ears and seeking shade to limit exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays.

4. For Hearing Aid Wearers: Moisture Control 

It’s no secret that Chicago summers are often very humid. Humidity plus an increase in perspiration from heat means your hearing aids are exposed to more moisture during the summer months. While current hearing aids are very durable, moisture is still one of the largest issues for damaging the technology inside your devices. To help with this issue, your audiologist can issue you a drier kit, which is equipped with desiccant disks to remove moisture from your hearing aids.

5. Get Your Hearing Tested! 

A lifetime of healthy hearing starts with a hearing test. A thorough evaluation by a licensed audiologist will provide you with more information about the overall health of your hearing system

For people with normal hearing: A hearing test allows us to establish a baseline for your hearing sensitivity. This is useful because if your hearing suddenly changes, comparing those results to a baseline can allow for quicker diagnosis and treatment.

For people with hearing difficulties or tinnitus: A hearing test will provide specific information about the health of your hearing system and which treatment options are appropriate for you. Depending on the cause and degree of your symptoms, treatment options can include hearing aids, aural rehabilitation, wax removal, medical intervention by ENT, hearing protection, and more.
 

Our licensed audiologists at Sonik Hearing Care Services are ready to help you have a healthy hearing summer. Give us a call at 312-346-1136 or email [email protected] to schedule an appointment today!