Jill's Jottings – May 2015.
Here is the answer to that question you were always too shy to ask. Do my ears get bigger as I age?? The answer was reported in One In Six, the newsletter of Deafness Forum Australia (14-8-2013).
Yes – it's not your imagination – ears do get bigger with age. Not only does the cartilage of the ear continue to grow lengthwise “(but not increasing width) throughout our lifetime, but the earlobe elongates and sags due to years of gravity. A British report in 1995 in the British Medical Journal found that their ears elongated by 0.22 millimeter per year.
Another study determined that the average ear length is 2.04 inches at birth, and 3.07 inches in length in men at age 70, and 2.83 inches in length in women at age 70. Now, just in case you don't think this is important, detailed statistics on ear sizes have been used by forensic researchers to determine an unknown person's approximate age! (I have to admit I've never seen them measuring ear length on the CSI program on TV!)
Did you know that the characteristics and canal shape of the ear may also change – particularly if you have had weight loss or weight gain? This can affect the snug fit of the mold, causing poor sound delivery and whistling of the aid.
Now, while you check the fit of the mold, also check the tubing (if a behind the ear aid) as it can become brittle and crack over time – another cause of impaired sound and a whistling aid. Moisture in the tube can also impair sound – remove it with an air puffer (available from your audiologist) or allow to dry.
