Fall is transitioning into winter, which means changing temperatures and air pressures, which means wind. Windy weather can be a nuisance, but it poses an extra challenge for hearing aid users: wind noise.
What Causes Wind Noise?
Wind noise happens with any microphone in conditions with fast-moving air. Wind, cycling or driving with the window down can all cause wind noise. Air blowing directly onto the microphone registers as sound waves, while air that doesn’t blow directly onto the microphone is redirected and creates a small eddy of whirling air. This swirling airflow causes the air pressure to fluctuate wildly, resulting in a physical disturbance of the microphone. This creates a loud whooshing sound that gets amplified into the speaker.
Is Wind Noise Dangerous?
The volume of wind noise is something to take seriously. Wind noise volume levels will increase depending on the speed of the wind and the angle at which it hits the microphone. If it reaches levels above 85 decibels—which can happen at high wind speeds—it can cause further damage to your hearing.
Additionally, wind noise can drown out other sounds, which may decrease personal safety. You need to be able to hear to register hazards around you. Decreased situational awareness can increase your chance of an accident or injury. You may also feel disoriented due to the loud, omnipresent noise, which can further increase risk.
In order to alleviate wind noise, you may be tempted to remove your hearing aids, but we do not recommend you do this. Taking your hearing aids out will make you even less likely to notice hazards, increasing all the personal safety risks mentioned above.
How to Prevent Wind Noise?
The quickest way to alleviate wind noise is to block the wind from reaching the microphone. Hats, scarves and earmuffs can all help with this. By preventing the wind from reaching your hearing aid microphone in the first place, wind noise will decrease significantly.
There are also hearing aid accessories available, such as wind guards and socks. These are specially designed for hearing aids to combat wind noise.
You may also want to consider upgrading your hearing aids, especially if you lead an active or outdoor lifestyle and are frequently exposed to fast-moving air. Modern hearing aids feature sophisticated technology that detects wind noise and reduces its volume, much like background noise suppression. Wind noise also affects hearing aid styles differently: behind-the-ear (BTE) and receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids are exposed to the full force of the wind, while in-the-ear (ITE) and completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aids are tucked away and, while still experiencing some wind noise, will not have it quite as loud.
If you want to discuss ways to alleviate wind noise—from hearing aid accessories to custom programs to hearing aid upgrades—contact Heuser Hearing Institute. We’d be happy to discuss your options with you. We want your hearing aids to work with you, not against you.