Ears – Ways to Protect Your Hearing in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Hearing loss and deafness can be caused by loud noise, head trauma, certain medications, and a range of diseases. In Grand Rapids, MI—where residents enjoy concerts at Van Andel Arena, outdoor festivals, power tools for home projects, and loud winter snowblowers—protecting your hearing is especially important.

Local ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists and audiologists in Grand Rapids, including those at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health, regularly see patients with preventable hearing damage.

Hearing Loss Often Cannot Be Reversed

Once your hearing is damaged, it is often permanent. That’s why early prevention is critical.

How Hearing Works

  • Sound is picked up by a small, spiral-shaped organ called the cochlea in the inner ear.
  • Thousands of tiny hair cells in the cochlea sense vibration.
  • These cells send signals to the brain through the cochlear nerve, allowing you to hear.

These delicate hair cells do not grow back. When they are damaged—most commonly by loud noise—you can develop permanent hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

Signs Your Ears Are Overloaded

  • Ringing, buzzing, or roaring in the ears (tinnitus) after a concert, game, or noisy workplace
  • Needing to turn up the TV or ask people to repeat themselves
  • Muffled hearing after exposure to loud noise

If you experience any of these after a Griffins game, a concert, or using loud tools, your ears have likely been exposed to damaging sound levels.

It is a mistake to believe that only noises loud enough to cause ear pain can damage your hearing. The inner ear can be harmed without any pain at all.

Rule of thumb:
If you need to shout to be heard at arm’s length, the noise level is potentially damaging.

Common Local Sources of Loud Noise

In Grand Rapids and West Michigan, many everyday activities can be loud enough to damage hearing:

  • Snowblowers and leaf blowers
  • Lawn mowers and power tools
  • Construction and manufacturing jobs (common in the metro area)
  • Concerts, clubs, and sporting events
  • Motorcycles, snowmobiles, and motor racing events
  • Firearms and hunting (common in Michigan)

How to Protect Your Ears From Noise

  • Avoid loud noise when possible

    • Step away from speakers at concerts or sporting events.
    • Take “quiet breaks” during loud activities.

  • Use hearing protection

    • Wear earplugs or earmuffs at concerts, clubs, and sporting events in downtown Grand Rapids.
    • Use hearing protection when operating lawnmowers, snowblowers, chainsaws, and power tools.
    • Hunters and sport shooters should use specialized shooting earplugs or earmuffs.

  • Protect your hearing at work

    • If you work in manufacturing, construction, or other noisy industries in the Grand Rapids area, talk with your occupational health and safety officer about noise levels.
    • Use employer-provided hearing protection consistently.
    • Ask for a hearing test (audiogram) if you’re concerned.

If you’re unsure about your noise exposure, local audiologists in Grand Rapids can perform hearing tests and provide custom earplugs.

Ototoxicity refers to damage to the ear caused by certain medications or chemicals. Some drugs can temporarily or permanently affect hearing or balance.

Medications That May Affect Hearing

Some medications known to have ototoxic potential include:

  • Certain malaria medications (such as quinine and chloroquine)
  • High-dose salicylates, such as large doses of aspirin
  • Some antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs (prescribed under specialist care)

In many cases, hearing changes from these drugs may be temporary, but sometimes they can be permanent.

Industrial Chemicals and Hearing Loss

Certain industrial solvents and chemicals used in manufacturing and automotive work—common industries in West Michigan—can also contribute to hearing damage, especially when combined with loud noise.

  • Take medications only as directed

    • Never exceed the recommended dose of over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin.
    • Do not stop prescribed medications without talking to your doctor.

  • Talk to your doctor or pharmacist

    • If you are prescribed a medication known to affect hearing, ask if there are alternatives.
    • Inform your doctor if you already have hearing loss or tinnitus.

  • Seek immediate medical care if you notice symptoms

    • Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
    • Sudden hearing loss or muffled hearing
    • Dizziness or balance problems

In Grand Rapids, you can discuss these concerns with your primary care provider or specialists at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health.

If you work with chemicals, consult your occupational health and safety officer about reducing exposure and using proper protective equipment.

Diseases That Can Cause Hearing Loss

Several viral and bacterial infections can damage the hearing system.

Viral Infections

  • Mumps
  • Measles
  • Rubella (German measles)

These infections are more common in childhood but can occur in adults who are not vaccinated or never had the disease.

Bacterial Infections

  • Pertussis (whooping cough)
  • Meningitis
  • Syphilis

These conditions can target the ear or the nerves involved in hearing.

Tumors Affecting Hearing

A benign tumor called an acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) can grow on the hearing nerve and cause:

  • Gradual hearing loss (often in one ear)
  • Tinnitus
  • Balance problems

  • Stay up to date with vaccinations

    • Ensure children are vaccinated according to recommended schedules through their pediatrician or the Kent County Health Department.
    • Adults should discuss booster vaccines with their doctor.

  • Seek prompt medical care when you are ill

    • If you have severe headache, stiff neck, high fever, or confusion, seek emergency care (meningitis can be life-threatening).
    • Treat ear infections and upper respiratory infections early to reduce complications.

  • Protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

    • Use condoms to reduce the risk of STIs that can affect overall health, including the nervous system.
    • Get tested if you think you’ve been exposed; local clinics and the Kent County Health Department in Grand Rapids offer STI testing.

  • Have persistent tinnitus or sudden hearing loss evaluated

    • Sudden hearing loss is a medical emergency—contact your doctor or an ENT specialist immediately.
    • Ask for a referral to an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist or audiologist in Grand Rapids for further testing.

Hearing Loss From Injury and Trauma

The middle and inner ears are protected by the temporal bones at the base and sides of the skull. However, head injuries can still cause hearing damage.

Types of Injury That Can Affect Hearing

  • Perforated eardrum (hole or tear in the eardrum)
  • Fractured skull involving the temporal bone
  • Concussion, even without a skull fracture
  • Barotrauma from rapid pressure changes (for example, while scuba diving or flying)

Barotrauma and Pressure Changes

Otitic barotrauma occurs when there are sudden changes in air or water pressure on either side of the eardrum. This can happen:

  • During scuba diving in Lake Michigan or inland lakes
  • During rapid altitude changes while flying
  • With forceful nose-blowing or severe congestion

  • Wear a helmet

    • While cycling on Grand Rapids trails
    • During contact sports (football, hockey, etc.)
    • When riding motorcycles or scooters

  • Wear a seat belt in the car

    • Always buckle up to reduce the risk of head trauma in a crash.

  • Avoid falls

    • Use stable ladders and avoid standing on the top rung.
    • Use handrails, especially in icy Michigan winter conditions.

  • Take precautions while scuba diving

    • Equalize pressure frequently during descent and ascent.
    • Do not dive with a cold, sinus infection, or ear congestion.
    • Get proper dive training and follow safety guidelines.

If you hit your head and notice hearing changes, ringing in the ears, or dizziness, seek medical evaluation promptly.

Temporary Hearing Loss and Everyday Ear Care

Some conditions cause temporary hearing loss, which can still be uncomfortable and sometimes lead to longer-term problems if not managed properly.

Common Causes of Temporary Hearing Loss

  • Earwax buildup
  • Ear infections
  • Fluid in the middle ear after a cold or sinus infection
  • Swimmer’s ear (outer ear infection)

How to Reduce Your Risk

  • Do not put objects into your ear canal

    • Avoid cotton swabs, hairpins, or any objects—these can injure the delicate skin or push wax deeper, causing blockage.
    • Let earwax work its way out naturally, or see a doctor if you suspect a blockage.

  • Treat upper respiratory infections promptly

    • Colds and sinus infections are common in Michigan’s fall and winter seasons.
    • See your doctor if symptoms persist, worsen, or are accompanied by ear pain or hearing changes.

  • Avoid swimming in dirty or contaminated water

    • Choose clean, supervised pools and safe local swimming areas.
    • Avoid swimming in polluted water, which can increase the risk of ear infections.

  • Dry your ears after swimming or bathing

    • Gently towel-dry the outer ear.
    • Tilt your head to each side to help water drain.
    • Avoid inserting anything into the ear canal.

If you have persistent fullness in the ear, pain, or temporary hearing loss, make an appointment with your primary care provider or an ENT specialist in Grand Rapids.

Key Points: Protecting Your Hearing in Grand Rapids, MI

  • Noise, trauma, certain medications, chemicals, and diseases are major causes of hearing loss or deafness.
  • Injuries, including a perforated eardrum or head injury, can result in hearing loss—even without obvious pain.
  • It is wrong to assume that only noises loud enough to cause earache can damage your ears; harmful noise may not hurt but can still cause permanent damage.
  • Ototoxicity is ear damage caused by certain medications or chemicals; always take medicines as directed and discuss concerns with your doctor.
  • See a doctor immediately if you experience unusual symptoms such as tinnitus, sudden hearing loss, or severe dizziness, especially while taking medication or after a head injury.

Where to Get Help in Grand Rapids, Michigan

If you are concerned about your hearing or want to prevent hearing loss, you can contact:

  • Your primary care doctor (GP)
  • Audiologists (hearing specialists) in Grand Rapids
  • Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists at:
    • Spectrum Health
    • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
    • Metro Health
    • Mercy Health

For public health resources, vaccinations, and STI testing:

  • Kent County Health Department
  • Grand Rapids Public Health and local community clinics

Early evaluation and preventive care can help protect your hearing for life—through Michigan winters, summer festivals, and everything in between.