Are you gearing up for a summer trip somewhere soon? Traveling with hearing loss can pose some unique challenges. Thankfully, there are several tips to ensure that your trip goes more smoothly, whether you’re driving downstate to visit the grandchildren or heading to O’Hare International Airport to catch a flight for a tropical getaway.
Ways To Prepare Before Your Trip
- Don’t forget to bring your hearing aids or other hearing devices. This may seem obvious, but it’s also the most important thing you can do to improve your hearing while traveling. Additionally, be sure to pack extra batteries, your charger, and tools to clean and store your hearing aids during your trip.
- Research accommodations beforehand. Are you planning on visiting any museums during your travels? Or staying at a hotel? If so, it may be helpful to see if they offer any accommodations to people with hearing loss, such as loop systems.
- Download any helpful apps. If you are flying or taking a train, there may be apps that will notify you of any changes or delays in schedule. Having this information come directly to your phone can be helpful and cut down on the stress that often happens during a trip.
Ways To Make Hearing Easier on the Day of Travel
Flying
- Select an aisle seat closer to the front of the plane. These are farther away from the engine and therefore several decibels quieter than other seats.
- Tell airport employees and flight attendants that you have hearing loss. This can help ensure that all necessary information is communicated to you in a way that you can hear.
- If you suffer from clogged or plugged ears when flying, this can temporarily worsen your hearing. Consider taking a decongestant about 30 minutes before takeoff. Studies have shown that oral pseudoephedrine may reduce ear pain in adults during flights
Driving
- Keep the windows closed to avoid road noise
- Have the volume low if you’re listening to music while driving
- Consider streaming driving directions into your hearing aid using Bluetooth® technology for clearer sound.
Taking the Train
- Elect to sit in a quiet car so that you can better hear any important announcements
- Let the conductor, attendant or even the passenger next to you know you have trouble hearing
- If your train has visual notices about what stops are next, keep an eye on them to ensure you don’t miss anything.
If you would like to learn more about traveling with hearing loss or need to make an appointment with one of our experts, contact North Shore Audio-Vestibular Lab today.