Cold Weather and Your Ears

Winter is officially here, and the temperatures outside are dropping, which means you need to bundle up every time you head outdoors. Just make sure you don’t neglect your head and your ears when you step outside. Haven’t you noticed that your ears are one of the first parts of your body to get cold? Your ears are comprised mostly of cartilage and don’t have much fat on them to stay warm when it’s cold outside. So, you must take extra precautions to protect your ears when it is cold out. Knowing how to protect your ears in cold weather can go a long way, especially when you follow these helpful, cold weather hearing tips.

You must keep your ears warm when you are out in the cold. Check out these easy to follow cold weather hearing tips to help protect your hearing this winter season.

• Make sure you cover your ears if the temperature is below 59 °F by wearing a hat or earmuffs.

• If you require a short-term fix, and find yourself outdoors without a hat on, using a scarf or the hood of your jacket or sweatshirt can provide you with some warmth.

• If the temperatures are frigid, wear a fleece headband to give your ears some extra protection underneath your hat.

• Wearing earplugs can help protect your ear canal from the wind and cold. While commercial earplugs will work, you will have better protection with a pair of custom-fitted earplugs.

• Make sure you keep your ears dry. So if your hat or earmuffs get wet, make sure you switch it out for a dry one. If the inside of your ears is moist, do not place cotton inside the ear. Instead, use a hairdryer on a low heat setting, making sure you are not putting the hairdryer directly next to the ear.