Our ears are particularly sensitive and one of the first parts of our body to suffer from the cold. Winter conditions can also present challenges for hearing instrument users. Here are a couple of important considerations to help you and your hearing instruments stay healthy for the remainder of the cold season.

Ears more sensitive than most other parts of the body.

Our ears cool down very quickly in cold conditions because they have little protective fat tissue. The nerves in the ear canal run relatively unprotected under the skin and may react with a strong pain impulse to changing temperatures. The skin on the ears seems impervious to the cold at first, but you may not notice any pain or chilling sensation until it is too late.

Risks for hearing instrument users.

Cold conditions can reduce battery capacity resulting in a diminished battery life of hearing instruments. If the temperature of a hearing instrument battery falls below zero degrees Celsius, it can fail completely. In addition, condensation can occur inside the hearing instruments during the transition from cold to warm conditions much like what you may experience as your glasses fog up when coming inside from the cold. These tiny drops of water can get into the electronics and cause a failure.

Content provided by Hear The World Foundation