Winter walks: why you ears need wrapping up too

Author: Nikisha Oladipupo
Published: January 21, 2019
Last reviewed by: Leightons Clinical Team
Last reviewed: February 02, 2026

We've braced a couple of storms, what feels like gallons of rain, a deep frost and even snow in some areas, so coats and scarves are a top priority before leaving the house. But don’t forget to keep your ears warm – it’s more important than you might think…

When the mercury drops to single figures it’s essential to wrap up warm. And your ears are no exception.

Keeping your ears warm is important

Yep, you heard that correctly – keeping your ears warm is more important than you might think. Especially if you spend long periods of time outside, perhaps as part of your job, hobby, or if you just enjoy long walks in the crisp winter air.

With very little body fat insulating them from the elements, your ears are uniquely exposed to the elements. So here are three winter ear protection tips to help you give ear problems the slip this winter:

1. Wrap up to avoid exostosis

Having chilly ears for a short while is uncomfortable, but long-term exposure can cause exostosis, sometimes referred to as ‘surfer’s ear’. Exostosis symptoms include bone growths in the ear canal, as the body attempts to insulate itself against the exposure to cold weather.

It’s also associated with a build-up of earwax, causing infections, earache, hearing loss and tinnitus. Prevention is better than cure: ear muffs are perfect, as are warm hats and snoods or scarves that cover your ears.

2. Give your hearing aid some love and attention

What’s more, cold air can create moisture. However with a majority of hearing aids being water resistant, moisture inside them is less likely.  If you at all concerned, Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to dry it out or ask your hearing care specialist.

3. Minimise your risk of ear infections

Although more common in children than adults, ear infections are still a risk factor at this colder time of year.

So how can you reduce your chances of developing an ear infection? Be sure to dry your ears well after showering or swimming – drying your ears might sound like a straightforward activity, but there’s one thing most of us get wrong. Find out what it is here.

Left untreated, an ear infection can get worse or even cause long-term damage, so be sure to visit your GP or Leightons hearing care specialist if you have earache.

Get in touch with a hearing care specialist

If you’re experiencing ear pain, a Leightons hearing care specialist can help. Book a free hearing test online, call us on 0800 40 20 20, or pop in to your local branch.

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Hearing amplification devices increase the volume and might make it easier for you to hear sounds louder. Yet they not a prescribed product and do not match your individual needs. Hearing loss is extremely common – millions of people in the UK live with a hearing loss, so you’re not alone. At Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care, our expert audiologists will help you identify the best device for you, in most cases this is a Hearing Aid. What is a hearing amplifier? Much like a tiny PA system, hearing amplification devices use microphones to capture and amplify all sounds around you, before delivering it to your ear at an adequate and audible volume level. What kind of devices are available? There are plenty of hearing amplifiers designed to help you while on the telephone, watching TV, and for in-person conversations. However, these devices amplify all sounds equally and aren’t designed to support hearing loss. For an all‑round solution that adapts to your personal hearing needs, a hearing aid is often the most effective option. Our expert audiologists can assess your hearing and guide you towards the most suitable hearing aid for your lifestyle and needs. What’s the difference between a hearing aid and a hearing amplifier? All hearing aids use amplification, however, hearing aids are regulated medical devices carefully programmed and tailored to fit the hearing loss of a particular individual. This makes them more suitable for moderate to severe hearing loss. Hearing amplifiers are not medical devices and are not designed to diagnose, treat or manage hearing loss. They don’t adapt to your individual needs, meaning they offer volume without improving clarity or understanding. What are induction loops? An induction loop is an older technology system designed to help hearing aid users to hear more clearly in some specific environments. You’ll often find them in places like meeting rooms, theatres, banks, and cinemas.  Here’s how it works:  A thin cable is installed around a room or designated listening area  The system creates a magnetic field that carries speech or important sound  When you switch your hearing aid or ALDs to the T (telecoil) setting, you can hear the sound closer to you and more clear with less background noise  Induction loops can make a huge difference to day‑to‑day listening comfort. Our audiologists can help you understand how loops - and other assistive listening devices - can work with Hearing Aids.  What is Auracast? Auracast is a new Bluetooth audio technology designed to make listening more inclusive. It allows one device to broadcast high-quality sound to multiple compatible hearing aids, earbuds, or headphones at the same time, without the need for pairing. Developed with the hearing aid industry for assistive listening, Auracast could mean easier access to shared audio in public spaces such as train stations and lecture theatres. For people with hearing loss, it’s a positive step towards clearer sound and greater confidence in everyday situations. Leightons free hearing test Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care offers a free hearing test in all branches. We provide a comprehensive hearing check carried out by our experts – professionally trained hearing aid audiologists registered with the HCPC (Health & Care Professions Council), with some even members of the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists. Book your free hearing test now You can book an appointment online or you can call us on 0800 40 20 20 to arrange a free hearing test at your nearest Leightons branch. Alternatively, you can take the test at home. This involves the same experienced, professional audiologist you would see in branch coming to your home to carry out your hearing test with specialist portable equipment.
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