It won’t be long until the spookiest night of the year is upon is and we know everyone loves a good Halloween party! There will be kids in costume shouting with excitement, grown-ups screaming in surprise and loud, loud music blaring through the speakers. We wanted to offer you a few tips in preparation to enjoy this year’s Halloween given that last year, we weren’t really able to celebrate.
Often Halloween night sees us walking around at night trick or treating or spotting people’s pumpkins and decorations meaning that we get cold. When our ears get cold, they have less blood flowing to them increasing the risk of ear infection. An easy fix is to keep them wrapped up with ear muffs or a scarf. Keeping warm in general is a good idea to ensure you don’t catch a cold as this could temporarily increase the risk of hearing loss.
Although we have just advised you to keep warm, we have to point out that warming yourself around a bonfire isn’t always the best option. The smoke from bonfires has been known to irritate hearing conditions such as tinnitus. If you do have any hearing issues, it is advisable to keep away from any smoky areas.
It’s not often that we spend all evening outside in the cold so you could be forgiven for not realising that hearing aids are affected by the cold. Battery life can be shorter in cold temperatures so it would be a good idea to bring some spare batteries with you or ensure they are fully charged if you have rechargeable devices.
Given that Bonfire Night is only 5 days later, it stands to reason that a lot of Halloween parties include firework displays. A lot of fireworks can exceed 120 dB which is much higher than the recommended safe level of 85 dB. The best thing to do is keep a safe distance away from the fireworks and wear a form of ear protection.
We don’t want to be the person to spoil everyone’s fun but we do have to mention that when throwing a Halloween party, it can get very loud. By keeping the volume a little lower, you ensure that everyone, including those with hearing problems, can take part in the fun and conversations. If anyone attending needs to lip-read, it’s a good idea to keep the rooms well lit.
Enjoy the spooky season!
