Summertime is A Great Time to Consider Hearing Aids!

Have you ever awoke after a night’s sleep and heard birds singing a beautiful song through your open window? Most individuals probably aren’t even aware that those bird songs are called the “dawn chorus”. Birds see the sunrise and, for some reason, decide it’s time to sing out their favorite melody. The songs of these birds, when they’re all singing together, are a beautiful symphony.

Of course, if you have untreated hearing loss, you might not notice the dawn chorus at all. And that’s unfortunate.

There are lots of incredible sounds during the summer besides birdsongs that you may be missing. And you may be missing those summer sounds because you have hearing loss that’s gone undiagnosed or simply dismissed. The good news in these instances is that a device like a hearing aid may help you appreciate and enjoy your summer days more fully.

Summer sounds

When you think about summer, you likely start off visualizing the sun in a blue sky. And, a really, really hot sun (whew). But if you stick with your imagination a little longer, you’ll start adding highlights that make this blue sky seem more like summer, the sounds that fill in the day. Some sounds you might think about:

• The buzzing of bees as they fly around pollinating flowers and helping nature bloom.
• Something as basic as your grandchildren laughing, possibly as they run about the yard or as you watch a baseball game with each other.
• The babbling of a stream or the crashing of waves.
• The sound of frogs croaking at night, particularly in the early hours of the night.
• The sound of birds performing mating songs. (Humans aren’t the only species to use love songs.)

You get the point. There are a bunch of sounds happening. These are the sounds that complete your summer, give it quality, and help establish that overall vibe. And these sounds in and of themselves bring great joy.

If these sounds of summer (or any sounds of summer) seem foreign to you these days, it’s likely because a noticeable amount of hearing loss has successfully snuck up on you. If you have recognized your hearing loss then you should get some help with it.

Hearing aids can help you enjoy summer

Building relationships is what hearing aids are really about for most. They’re about communication. You’ll be more mindful of what’s happening around you, better able to communicate with those around you, and appreciate the sounds in your world. And that’s especially important at those summer barbecues, for instance.

The latest models of hearing aids can help you savor the sounds of summer, and they come with some rather great built in tech, too. Here are some illustrations of some of that potent technology:

• Automatic programming: You can dial in your modern hearing aids to automatically adjust settings depending on the time of day or setting you find yourself in. This function makes them more reliable and simpler to use.
• Rechargeability: Your battery will remain charged throughout the day after charging when you are sleeping at night. It’s a lot like charging your cellphone. And when you travel with your hearing aids, it becomes very stress free.
• Noise reduction: If you want to hear the sound of crashing waves, but not the thunder of traffic behind you, you’ll want hearing aids that can help you sort out these sounds (just like your ears used to do). Modern hearing aids have significant noise reduction features, so you can hear what you actually want to hear.
• Bluetooth Connectivity: Perhaps you want some music playing while you’re out boating. Just sync the boat’s radio to your hearing aids via Bluetooth.
• Machine learning: Fancy algorithms (called machine learning) can help your hearing aids adapt to what you need, even before you need it. In loud settings or when eliminating particular sounds, this can be especially convenient.
• Smartphone compatibility: You can connect your hearing aids to your smartphone and start enjoying all sorts of features. Many cell phones will now enable you to download apps that help you manage the settings on your hearing aids, so you can adjust for birdsong or grandchildren’s laughter depending on what you want to hear at that time.

We can help you discover how your particular hearing needs can be met by your hearing aids (for instance, you can ask whether you can wear them while you’re swimming or hiking up a mountain, that type of thing). Hearing aids and water-sports don’t always play nice together. But you will have a deeper overall summer experience with your hearing aids.

You’ll also want to ask us some basic questions about your hearing aid models. For instance, you should ask, can hot weather impact my hearing aids? Also, does humidity have any impact on my hearing aid and how can I safeguard it? The answer to both questions will depend on the model of hearing aid you have.

Some loud sounds you may want to steer clear of

As much as you love the sound of the dawn chorus, there are a few other summer sounds that could actually be harmful to your hearing, so you’ll probably want to avoid them. These noisy sounds are a real hazard! And everybody’s ears are at risk even if they don’t have pre-existing hearing loss. Here are a few of those sounds:

• Live music: It’s a lot of fun to attend a live music concert but the loud volume can be damaging to your ears. So you might want to use some caution and be selective about which concerts you attend and use earplugs.
• Boat engines: Be careful of how close you get and how long you spend around these engines because they are really loud. When you’re fishing, shut the engine off. Or, an even better plan would be to put in some earplugs.
• Fireworks: Dogs have the right idea. Your hearing can most certainly be harmed by fireworks. Likewise, being near home-launched fireworks can also be damaging to your ears (and limbs). Best to simply stay away from fireworks altogether.

This list is not exhaustive. Summer activities for individuals with hearing loss might not include quite as many of those fireworks and loud noise situations.

But even with hearing loss you probably won’t want to avoid every noisy summer activity. So what’s the strategy? Wearing ear protection is the best strategy. Popping in a pair of earplugs before you go to any live music show can mitigate much of the damage, for instance. But it’s important that the hearing protection you chooses is effective.

Have fun this summer and enjoy the sounds

If you are dealing with hearing loss, the sounds of summer may feel like they’re getting further and further away (even as the heat of summer gets more and more oppressive). And that means you might miss a lot of the season’s joy.

So you may need to come in and see us if you want to be certain that you get the most out of your summer. We will be able to determine whether your hearing is failing or not, and what type of hearing aid will best suit your needs.

So begin here if you’re ready to enjoy the dawn chorus. Because birdsongs are only the beginning of those amazing summer sounds.

Get your hearing tuned up this summer. Make an appointment today to find out which hearing aids are right for you!