Wind can be annoying, especially in the autumnal months when the season change brings barometric pressure drops and wind really kicks up. But can it affect hearing? Subtly, yes. Let’s discuss how.
Environmental Manipulation
Wind can complicate the soundscape around you in subtle ways that can add up over time. It can:
- Create a low level of background noise
- Amplify perceived noise
- Carry and distort sound
All of these factors can lead us to underestimate how loud the environment is and to adjust our behavior without even thinking about it. You may find yourself speaking louder, turning the volume up or other similar things that could bring sound levels into unsafe ranges.
Ear Health
Our bodies are more attuned to the weather than you might realize. We all know someone who claims they can feel a storm coming “in their bones.” Our ears, too, can pick up on and react to weather changes. Wind can impact ear and hearing health by:
- Increasing risk of ear infection due to the pressure changes
- Colder, windy air affects blood circulation in the ear, which can impact the perception of sound
- Debris blown into the ear can lead to irritation, itchiness or infection
Wind and Hearing Aids
If you’re a hearing aid user, wind creates even more complications. Any time wind blows into a microphone, you’ll hear a loud whooshing noise. This is the sound of the microphone mistaking air waves for sound waves. For hearing aid users, this wind noise can be extremely, even dangerously, loud.
To combat this effect, cover up your hearing aids with hearing aid sleeves or a beanie. You may also check in with your audiologist on your devices’ smart digital processing capabilities or directional microphones, which are two solutions that can often filter out the worst of the wind noise!
If you’re curious about ear health and environmental factors that can affect your hearing health, give us a call! We’d be happy to discuss more, explain the signs of hearing damage or help fine-tune your hearing aids for windy days. Call Aaron's Hearing Aid & Audiology Center today to learn more or schedule an appointment.