The Benefits of Summer Hearing Health Check-Ups

When was the last time you had your hearing checked? If you’re like most people, it’s probably been a while. Summer might be the perfect time to finally schedule that appointment you’ve been putting off. Your schedule is probably more flexible, and you don’t have to deal with winter weather that makes getting around more difficult. Summer often offers more opportunities to find appointment times that work well for you.

Summer also happens to be when your hearing gets put to the test. Between family reunions where you want to catch up with everyone, outdoor events where background noise competes with conversations and vacation activities that might expose you to louder environments, you need your hearing to be at its best. If you’ve been noticing that conversations seem harder to follow or you’re asking people to repeat themselves more often, summer gives you the chance to address these issues before they affect the activities you’re looking forward to most.

Reasons Hearing Health is Important Throughout Every Season

Your ears face different risks throughout the year, not just during summer. Cold weather, allergies and seasonal activities can all affect how well you hear and how comfortable your ears feel. Staying on top of your hearing care helps you stay connected to the people and moments that matter most, whether you’re outdoors in the cold, dealing with spring pollen or enjoying time with family during the holidays.

Seasonal changes can also impact hearing devices. Humidity in summer or dry air in winter may affect how your devices work and feel on your ears. Rain, wind and temperature shifts can make it important to clean and check your hearing aids more often. A little extra care during these times can help keep your devices working properly so you can enjoy clear sound in every season.

How Summer Activities May Change Your Hearing Needs

Summer is full of fun activities, but these can also change your hearing needs. You may spend more time at concerts, festivals or fireworks shows, which are much louder than everyday sounds and can increase your risk of hearing damage. If you swim or enjoy water sports, keeping your ears dry and clean becomes even more important to help avoid irritation or infections. Hot weather and outdoor adventures can also mean more sweat and moisture around hearing aids, making regular cleaning and maintenance a good idea to keep everything working as it should.

Loud Noises You Might Encounter During the Summer Months

Summer brings plenty of opportunities to have fun outside, but many seasonal activities come with high noise levels that can strain your hearing. Fireworks displays are a classic summer tradition, but they can be surprisingly loud even at a distance. The sharp, explosive sounds often exceed safe limits, making ear protection important if you plan to watch them up close. Similarly, outdoor concerts and music festivals usually involve amplified music at high volumes that can be tough on your ears after long exposure.

Sporting events and motor races also pick up in the summer months, drawing crowds into stadiums and tracks where cheering fans and engines generate sustained loud noise. Even lawn care can add up, with gas-powered mowers, trimmers and leaf blowers creating more sound exposure than people often realize. Boating and jet skiing can be loud too, with engines and wind noise making it harder to communicate and adding steady noise right next to your ears.

It’s not just big events either. Backyard parties and barbecues often include music played over speakers at high volume, and crowded restaurants or open-air patios can be surprisingly noisy with overlapping conversations. Recognizing these everyday summer sounds as potential risks can help you plan ahead, using earplugs, taking breaks in quieter areas or lowering the volume where possible.

How Sun Exposure Can Affect Your Ears

Spending more time outdoors in the sun is common during summer, but sun exposure can also affect your ears. The skin on your ears is thin and sensitive, making it more likely to get sunburned if not protected. Sunburned ears can become red, sore and may peel, which can cause discomfort when wearing hearing devices or ear protection.

Wearing a wide-brimmed hat or applying sunscreen to your ears before heading outside helps protect them from harmful UV rays. If you use hearing devices, be careful not to let sunscreen get inside the device openings, as this can affect their performance.

Effects of Swimming and Water on Your Ears

Spending time in the water is a favorite way to cool off, but swimming can affect your ears in ways that are easy to overlook. When water gets trapped in the ear canal, it can create a damp environment that encourages bacteria to grow, leading to swimmer’s ear, an outer ear infection that can cause pain, itching and even temporary hearing loss. Pools, lakes and oceans can all introduce bacteria or other irritants, so drying your ears well after swimming is an important step in keeping them healthy.

Repeated exposure to water can also affect the delicate skin inside the ear, making it more prone to irritation or infection over time. People who swim frequently may benefit from using well-fitted swim plugs to help keep water out. It’s also helpful to tilt your head to each side after swimming to help water drain naturally. Paying attention to how your ears feel after swimming and addressing any discomfort early can help prevent bigger problems and keep you enjoying time in the water safely.

The Importance of Hydration for Ear Health

Staying hydrated is important for overall health and also supports healthy ear function. Hot summer days can lead to dehydration, which may cause the tissues in your ears to dry out. Dryness in the ear canal can lead to itching or irritation and may affect how well earwax moves out of the ear naturally.

Drinking enough water each day helps keep your ears comfortable and supports their natural cleaning process. If you spend time outdoors in the heat or are physically active, remember to drink extra water to replace what you lose through sweat.

Noticing Early Signs Your Hearing May Be Changing

If you find yourself turning up the TV volume, asking people to repeat themselves more often or having trouble following conversations in noisy places, these could be signs that your hearing needs attention. Early awareness helps prevent small issues from becoming bigger concerns and allows you to address changes before they interfere more with daily life. Even mild hearing changes can make social interactions tiring or lead to misunderstandings that can feel frustrating over time.

It is also a good idea to think about your age and lifestyle when deciding when to get your hearing checked. Many audiologists recommend a baseline hearing test around age 50, with regular checks every few years afterward. If you’re often exposed to loud noises at work, at concerts or while using power tools or firearms, you may need testing more often to catch changes early. Staying aware of your hearing health means you can make choices that help you stay engaged and confident in all the activities you enjoy.

Preparing for Travel with Up to Date Hearing Devices

When planning a trip, making sure your hearing devices are up to date is just as important as packing your clothes or travel documents.

A recent check with our team ensures your devices are working well and have the latest settings for new environments. Travel often brings new places, busy airports and different weather, so having reliable hearing devices helps you feel more comfortable and confident. Bringing extra batteries or charging equipment also means you will be prepared if your trip lasts longer than expected.

How Hot Weather and Humidity Can Affect Ear Comfort

Hot weather and humidity can make your ears feel different during the summer months. Sweat and moisture may collect around or inside your ears, leading to discomfort or skin irritation. Warm, damp conditions can also make it easier for bacteria to grow, raising the chance of ear infections.

If you wear hearing devices, heat and humidity might affect how well they work. Moisture can get inside the devices or batteries, causing problems with sound quality or power. Keeping your devices dry and cleaning them often is important for comfort and performance.

Wipe your ears gently after being outside and store hearing devices in a dry place to stay comfortable all summer. If you notice any itching, redness or changes in how your hearing devices work, reach out to our team.

Planning for Your Summer Hearing Check Up

During a summer hearing check-up, you can expect a thorough evaluation of your current hearing health and any changes since your last visit. The appointment usually begins with a conversation about your recent experiences, like difficulty hearing in noisy places or any discomfort in your ears. The audiologist will then perform tests to measure how well you hear different sounds and frequencies, helping identify any new hearing concerns.

The check-up often includes an inspection of your ears to spot signs of irritation or wax buildup that could affect your hearing. If you use hearing devices, the audiologist will check their condition and how well they are working in the summer heat and humidity. The goal is to ensure your hearing remains in good shape and to update your care plan so you can keep enjoying conversations and activities all season long.

Setting Up Reminders to Keep Regular Hearing Health Visits

Setting reminders is an easy way to keep up with regular hearing health visits. Busy schedules can make it easy to forget important appointments. You can use your phone’s calendar, a reminder app or even a paper calendar to mark the date of your next visit with our team. Setting up alerts a week and a day before the appointment can help you stay on track. Keeping these reminders visible makes it more likely that you will keep up with regular check-ups and support your long-term hearing health.

Ways to Protect Your Ears During the Summer

Summer is a time for enjoying the outdoors, traveling, swimming and attending events, but it can also present challenges for keeping your ears healthy. Hot weather, humidity, loud gatherings and water activities all affect your ears and how well you hear. Being aware of these risks helps you take simple steps to keep your ears comfortable throughout the season.

Taking a little time to prepare means you can enjoy your favorite summer activities without worry. Whether you’re spending days at the pool, attending barbecues or going to outdoor concerts, paying attention to ear care can help prevent discomfort, infections or damage to your ears. Protecting your ears doesn’t take a lot of work, just some preparation, including:

• Cleaning and drying: After swimming or sweating, gently towel-dry your ears to remove moisture. Keeping your ears dry helps prevent infections like swimmer’s ear.
• Use swim plugs: Custom or store-bought earplugs designed for swimming can help keep water out of your ear canal and reduce the risk of irritation or infection.
• Avoid loud noise: Concerts, fireworks and festivals can be very loud. Wearing high-fidelity earplugs can protect your hearing while allowing you to enjoy the experience.
• Protect your ears from the sun: Wearing a hat or using sunscreen around the ears helps prevent sunburn, which can cause discomfort and skin damage.
• Limit exposure to irritants: Avoid inserting objects into your ears and be cautious around dusty or windy environments that can irritate the ear canal.

Making Summer Hearing Health a Priority

Taking time this summer to check your hearing can make a noticeable difference in how you experience the season. When your hearing is clear, you can fully enjoy conversations with family and friends, stay engaged at outdoor events and feel confident in busy or noisy settings. Regular hearing checks help you stay ahead of changes and give you options to keep your hearing as comfortable and effective as possible.

If it has been a while since your last hearing test or you’ve started to notice challenges with hearing, now is a great moment to schedule an appointment. Contact Alliance Center for Hearing in Bismarck, ND at (701) 401-9719 to find out how we can support your hearing health this summer and beyond.