By Tisha Boston
We are now in the Fall season and this presents challenges for our ears. The ear is responsible for hearing and balance; it is a vital organ in communicating. The ear is very sensitive when it comes to lower temperatures because it has no protective fat tissue and thus, cools down very quickly.
Exposure to cold temperatures allows for less blood circulation in the ear, causing the nerves in the ear canal to react strongly and painfully. During cold conditions, water in the ears can cause inflammation. Sometimes a cold head too may lead to cramped muscles, especially in the neck region, and ear infections. An acute ear infection is one of the main health problems associated with exposure to cold climate. Extreme cold conditions can also cause frostbite in the ears, which can lead to permanent damage to the body, if not treated immediately.
Three of the easiest ways to lower the risk of an ear infection or other ear complications associated with the cold season are:
• Keep the ears warm by covering them with a hat, helmet, headband or earmuff.
• Dry the ear canals thoroughly after showering or swimming before entering the cold.
• Avoid wearing earrings, since metal conducts cold and this can rapidly cool down any part of the body that is in contact with it.
For people with existing hearing complications, cold conditions can reduce the battery capacity of their hearing instrument. If the temperature drops below zero degrees Celsius, the hearing aid can fail completely, due to condensation occurring within the instrument. Condensation is the reverse of vaporization; it is the change of water from its gaseous state to a liquid state, so when transitioning from cold to warm conditions, small drops of water can get into the electronics and bring damage to the hearing instrument.
Some solutions for hearing aid users to consider during the cold weather are:
• Water-resistant hearing aids for these are less susceptible to condensation damage.
• Spare batteries that one can easily carry in pants-pockets or hand bags.
• Special drying containers to store hearing aids; these are usually provided by a medical professional.
• Winter gear for the ears such as hats, headbands, earmuffs, etc, which will prevent the batteries from rapidly cooling down.
All in all, now that the leaves are falling and some of us are getting to crave turkeys and put up decorations, protecting your ears should also be part of your agenda.
