Here are a few summer maintenance tips for your hearing aids. Hearing aids are delicate machines with lots of moving parts. Because of this, they require different kinds of maintenance with each season’s change.
Weather Changes and Hearing Aids
Prolonged exposure in frigid months can zap your hearing aid’s batteries and lead to cracked plastic components. In summer months that can be hot and dry one day, or humid and full of sudden thunderstorms, your hearing aid device can suffer in other ways. As we transition from the cold temperatures of winter to the warming temperatures of spring and summer, condensation can build up in hearing aids and cause damage. Moisture can harm the electronic elements that make hearing aids work. Batteries can short out and other components can corrode.
Damage to your hearing aid, of course, means there will be damage to your hearing abilities! Damaged hearing aids can result in shorter battery life and devices that shut down unexpectedly. The sound quality of damaged devices can be distorted, weak, or garbled.
Tips for Happy Hearing
There are few waterproof hearing aids or that are water-resistant. However, there are several things you can do to ensure that your hearing aid is cared for. No matter what summer weather you encounter.
Be Weather Aware
First and foremost, always check the weather during unpredictable summer months! If you live in a consistently hot climate (humid one), you may also be living in a place with constant air conditioning. This may mean that your hearing aids are constantly changing temperature conditions. This, in turn, can lead to the buildup of condensation. Many places experience daily rains in the summer. Remember to always have a covering on-hand to protect your hearing aid devices from sudden, windy rains.
Storage
Be sure to store your hearing aids in a clean container that is located in a cool and dry location. Heat can cause major damage to hearing aids. So do not leave them, for example, in your car while you run an errand, or on top of a counter or table that is exposed to the sun. It can be easy to forget the location of your hearing aids, especially if you leave them out but not in a container or in a dedicated space that you return to. Try to store your hearing aids in the same place every time you take them out.
Sometimes It’s Better to Not Wear Them
Remove your hearing aids when you are exercising. This may seem like a no-brainer, but we often become so comfortable with our hearing aid devices that we forget that they are there at all. Exercising, especially in summer months, simply means more opportunities for your hearing aids to collect moisture. So, it is very important to remove them before you get too sweaty.
Sun Protection
Apply sunscreen before inserting your hearing aids, and wash sunscreen from your hand before removing hearing aids. The oils in sunscreen can invade the small crevices of your hearing aid device. This can create blockages that are more difficult to clear out than, say, water, or sweat. If you think more consciously about when and where you insert and remove your devices, you can limit their exposure to substances such as sunscreen lotion that may cause damage.
The Damage Has Been Done
If your hearing aid does become exposed to moisture or debris such as sand, there are a handful of things you can do to minimize damage. Of course, dry the device with a towel very gently. You can also use a hairdryer on the cool setting (never on warm or hot settings, as this can further damage a hearing aid). You can also acquire a dehumidifier to dry your device. Much like you can do if your cellphone gets wet, you can put your hearing aid into a bag of uncooked rice. No matter what, be sure to get your hearing aid to a hearing aid professional. They will need to be checked out as soon as possible.
It’s Worth It
In the summer months, you may find yourself paying more attention to your hearing aid care to avoid costly damage. The benefits of doing so far outweigh a careless mistake that can lead to lasting damage. Visit us at Hearing Group for regular maintenance before summer starts and as the seasons change come fall. Between yourself and your hearing health professional, you will ensure a long life for your hearing aid and full, vibrant life for yourself no matter the weather.