Motorcycles and hearing aids

Springtime means the motorcycles are coming out of the garage and they are on the roads. Please watch out for them!

People ask me often whether they should wear their hearing aids while driving their motorcycle. My best advice is not to amplify loud sounds like motorcycles, lawn mowers, chain saws and power tools. You want to preserve your hearing or try to save what you have left if it is already damaged. Wearing earplugs and or ear muffs around loud sounds is what is best for your hearing. That being said we do have to be realistic. I ride a dirt bike and I do not wear ear plugs because I want to be able to hear if another bike is coming up on me. My helmet is attenuating (damping) the loudness of my motorcycles engine. My motorcycle also has a good muffler so it is about 86 decibels loud. The rule of thumb for noise is 85dB for eight hours is harmful and damaging to your ears. I usually don't ride for more than five hours. I can also test my own hearing and it is still normal after years and years of riding dirt bikes.

Some people with hearing loss want to be able to hear outside sounds (passengers, cars, trucks and emergency vehicles) while riding. If you are driving a motorcycle with a helmet on your head you may not be able to wear your hearing aid because the helmet may make it squeal. A small hearing aid like the Lyric or a completely in the canal aid would probably be the best choice because it is tucked down in the canal and you may be able to wear the helmet over your ears without making the aids squeal. Larger in the ear aids or behind the ear aids will most likely be very uncomfortable or make the aids squeal with a helmet on. If one is not wearing a helmet the wind across the microphone will probably be too loud and annoying to be worn at all.

I would prefer that my hearing impaired patients not wear hearing aids while riding. Without the sense of hearing I warn them to be extra careful and use their sense of sight more and always practice defensive driving for personal safety. Bring your aids in a case or pouch so you can put them in when you stop and after the motorcycles are turned off.

Dr. Tia Flynn is a certified audiologist and has been in business for more than 15 years. Every Tuesday morning from 9 a.m. to noon, Dr. Flynn provides free hearing screenings at 1601 Third St. in Coeur d'Alene, (208) 664-2767. Visit our newly updated website www.affordablehearinginc.com to watch helpful videos and take an online hearing test.