Normally, we have a lovely sunny and warm few weeks in September to round off the Summer but this year it seems as though Autumn has come early as last month was very unsettled and a lot colder than recent Septembers. Although, as I sit here and write this, the sun is streaming through the window on what seems to be a beautiful day. The big fluffy jumper I am wearing tells the truth of the scene!
Autumn is my absolute favourite season, it can be such a beautiful time of year and the sounds that Autumn bring are just perfect. Perhaps the sound that resonates with Autumn the most is the crunching of leaves underfoot. The leaves have already begun to change to their red / brown colours and yesterday, I saw a collection of conkers on the floor. With this in mind, we know a lot of you like to take the time to prepare your garden before the Winter months. As always, we must advise that you protect your hearing whilst using any loud garden machinery. Leaf blowers, lawn mowers and hedge trimmers are all very loud and the only way to ensure you won’t experience any damage to your hearing is to wear ear protection.
This Autumn has definitely brought the rainy weather with it, another of our favourite sounds! The pitter-patter of rain drops onto leaves, our roofs and into puddles can be very calming and stress relieving. Our ears don’t have any protective fat tissues meaning they can cool down quite quickly leaving us susceptible to the cold and wet conditions. There is also only a thin layer of skin surrounding the nerves in your ear canal so cold / wet weather can cause ear pain. Keeping your ears covered during cool weather will prevent any reduction in blood flow and reduce any risk of ear pain / infection. Who doesn’t love an ear muff!
If you are a regular here, you know that we are huge advocates of keeping your hearing aids cleaned and maintained regularly. This is especially important in the colder seasons as the wet weather risks moisture getting into your aids. Moisture is not a friend to our hearing devices, so it’s best to pop on a hat, put up your hood or use an umbrella if it starts to rain while you are out and about. There are a few ways in which you can determine if your aids have been damaged by moisture:
1. They cut out randomly during loud noises
2. They suddenly stop working but restart again
3. The sounds you hear come and go sporadically or sound faded
4. You get static / white noise along with your sound
5. You are not hearing clear sounds
It’s always best to talk to your hearing healthcare professional if you believe your aids have been water / moisture damaged.
During Autumn, we can experience strong, relentless wind. Most modern hearing aids will be able to adapt to your environment and may have a weather management system. This is important so that you are still able to join in conversations while out on windy days.
Bonfire Night isn’t until the beginning of next month but it is an event that a lot of people celebrate and we all know it’s a noisy one! The crackling bonfire and spectacular fireworks are amazing sensory experiences that we all associate with the colder months. As we previously mentioned, it is definitely a night where we would suggest wearing ear protection. Fireworks can reach very high decibels and could cause long term damage to your hearing if you don’t protect them properly.
If you ever need any advice, please don’t hesitate to give us a call and we’d be more than happy to help. Happy Autumn!