Embrace the Sounds of Summer: Tips for Looking After Your Hearing

Ealing Hearing Centre • June 20, 2024

Summer is a season filled with vibrant sounds—from the cheerful chirping of birds to the rhythmic waves crashing on the shore.

At Ealing Hearing Centre, we want to ensure you enjoy every moment of this soundscape by taking excellent care of your hearing. Here are some essential tips to help you protect your ears and maintain optimal hearing health this summer.


1. Protect Your Ears from Loud Noises

Summer often means outdoor concerts, fireworks, and bustling festivals. While these events are fun, the high noise levels can harm your hearing. To protect your ears:

- Use Earplugs: Keep a pair of high-fidelity earplugs handy to reduce noise levels without compromising sound quality.

- Maintain Safe Distances: Stand at a reasonable distance from speakers and other loud sound sources.

- Limit Exposure: Take breaks from the noise to give your ears a rest.


2. Keep Your Ears Dry

Swimming is a favourite summer activity, but prolonged exposure to water can lead to ear infections. Here’s how to keep your ears dry:

- Use Earplugs: Wear waterproof earplugs when swimming to prevent water from entering your ear canals.

- Dry Your Ears: After swimming, gently dry your ears with a towel and tilt your head to let any trapped water escape.

- Avoid Cotton Swabs: Don’t use cotton swabs to dry or clean your ears, as they can push water further inside and cause damage.


3. Stay Hydrated

Hydration is crucial for overall health, including your hearing. Dehydration can lead to thicker earwax, which may cause blockages and hearing issues. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to maintain proper ear function.


4. Beware of Ear Infections

Warm weather and water activities increase the risk of ear infections. To prevent infections:

- Keep Ears Clean: Maintain good ear hygiene, but avoid over-cleaning, which can strip away protective earwax.

- Avoid Contaminated Water: Swim in clean, well-maintained pools and avoid water with high bacteria levels.


5. Schedule a Hearing Check-Up

Regular hearing check-ups are vital for maintaining good hearing health. Summer is an ideal time to schedule a visit to Ealing Hearing Centre. Our comprehensive hearing tests can detect early signs of hearing loss, allowing for timely intervention and treatment.


6. Use Hearing Protection Devices

If you already use hearing aids, ensure they are well-maintained and equipped with moisture-resistant features. Summer heat and humidity can affect electronic devices, so keep them dry and store them in a safe place when not in use. If you are unsure, please call us.


7. Enjoy Nature’s Sounds

Take advantage of the quieter moments of summer to relax and listen to nature’s soothing sounds. These natural sounds can be therapeutic and beneficial for your overall well-being.


Summer offers a symphony of delightful sounds that you shouldn’t miss due to preventable hearing issues. By following these tips, you can protect your ears and enjoy the season to its fullest. At Ealing Hearing Centre, we’re dedicated to helping you maintain excellent hearing health. If you have any concerns or need advice, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Here’s to a sound-filled summer!


For more information or to schedule a hearing assessment, visit Ealing Hearing Centre today. Enjoy your summer with the confidence of clear, healthy hearing! 

Hearing Tests in Stanmore: Why They Matter More Than You Think

By Aarti Raicha • September 6, 2025
When was the last time you had your hearing checked? If you’re like most people, the answer is either never or a very long time ago. We’re good at booking regular eye tests, keeping up with dental check-ups, even tracking blood pressure. But hearing? That often slips to the bottom of the list. Part of the problem is that hearing changes usually sneak up on you. You don’t wake up one morning unable to hear. It’s slower, subtler. The TV creeps up a notch. You catch yourself asking “pardon?” more often. In a noisy café, you might laugh along even though you miss half the conversation. Little by little, those changes add up and before long, friends or family are pointing it out. That’s exactly why hearing tests in Stanmore matter. One quick, painless check can pick up changes before you even realize they’re there. Why Hearing Tests Matter Hearing loss doesn’t just mean “turning the volume up.” It touches everything. Suddenly conversations in a busy café feel like hard work. Nights out or family dinners leave you more drained than they used to. Some people even start avoiding those situations altogether, just to make life easier. And here’s something many people don’t realize: your brain is involved in hearing just as much as your ears are. When your ears miss part of a word, your brain scrambles to fill in the gaps. Do that all day, every day, and it’s exhausting. Over years, that constant strain can affect memory and has even been linked to dementia. Lucky for you, you don’t have to wait until it gets to that point. What to Expect at a Hearing Test

The Most Common Earwax Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore

By Aarti Raicha • August 22, 2025
Earwax doesn’t get much credit. Most of the time, you don’t think about it at all until it causes trouble. But this sticky little substance is more than just an annoyance. It’s a built-in security guard for your ear, trapping dust, dirt, and bacteria before they reach deeper parts of the ear. Usually, it takes care of itself and works its way out naturally when you chew or talk. But sometimes, that system stalls. Instead of working its way out, earwax can sometimes build up inside. When this happens, many people mistake these symptoms for something else, such as age-related hearing changes, a lingering sinus problem, or just “one of those things” you live with. But being able to spot these symptoms early can save you from a lot of discomfort and, in some cases, prevent more serious issues. 6 Common Symptoms of Earwax Build-up If you’ve ever wondered whether that odd feeling in your ear is worth checking, here are the most likely signs you’re dealing with more than just a little wax. 1. Muffled or Reduced Hearing When wax blocks the ear canal, it stops sound waves from getting to your eardrum. Imagine trying to listen to music with a thick scarf wrapped around your ears; the sound is there, but it’s just dulled. Unlike age-related hearing loss, which creeps in slowly, a wax blockage can happen overnight. And the best part? Once it’s cleared, your hearing usually snaps back to normal instantly. 2. Earache or Odd Discomfort Not every earache means an infection. Hardened wax pressing against the walls of the ear canal can be surprisingly uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s a dull ache that comes and goes. Other times it’s sharper, especially after a swim or shower when water gets trapped behind the blockage. If the pain is constant or severe, don’t just put up with it. Earwax might be the issue, but infections and other conditions can cause similar pain, and those need treatment too. 3. That Itch You Can’t Scratch We all get the occasional itch inside our ear. But if you feel like you’re constantly reaching for a cotton bud, something’s off. Wax that’s dried out or stuck can irritate the sensitive skin in your ear canal, triggering the itch. Here’s the kicker: using a cotton bud might feel like a relief, but it usually pushes the wax deeper. That makes the problem worse, not better.

How Untreated Hearing Loss Affects Your Brain, Mood, and Health

By Aarti Raicha • July 24, 2025
Ever feel like conversations are getting harder to follow even in quiet places? You’re not alone. Many people don’t realise their hearing has changed until it starts affecting daily life. What’s often missed, though, is how hard your brain and body are working behind the scenes just to keep up. In this post, we will look at how untreated hearing loss affects more than just your ears and why a quick hearing test in Stanmore could make a real difference.