Hearing aids are an investment in your health- taking care of your hearing increases your quality of life and earning power and lessens other health risks. Hearing aid users rely on their hearing aids every day to make navigating the world easier and more enjoyable.
Hearing aids are built to be durable and lasting, but to get the most out of your hearing aids they will need regular care, consideration and maintenance. By developing a simple routine you can get the most from your hearing aids and maximize their lifespan.
Clean Them Everyday
Our first tip is for simple daily maintenance that can go a long way towards ensuring your hearing aids look great and work right. Every night when you take your hearing aids out to sleep wipe them down with a clean and dry cloth. This simple wipedown will remove most debris, moisture and earwax that may have accumulated on your device during the day.
Examine your hearing aid after you wipe it down – look far any blockages or anything out of the ordinary. A daily once-over can catch small issues before they turn into big ones.
Keep Them Dry
Your hearing aids are sealed with moisture resistant surfaces to help them perform in the demanding conditions of the human ear canal. While they are designed to resist moisture, hearing aids aren’t waterproof and need to be kept dry to ensure they work their best. Always remove your hearing aids and store them in a waterproof case before you bathe or swim. You’ll also want to protect your hearing devices from heavy rain and wipe them down periodically if you are sweating or exercising. Protecting your hearing aids from moisture can prevent irreparable damage such as short circuiting and interior corrosion.
Use A Hearing Aid Dryer
After you’ve wiped down your hearing aids, you’ll want to dry them overnight in a small drying case. Drying cases for hearing aids use either a small fan or a chemical desiccant to thoroughly dehydrate your hearing aids. Nightly drying prevents any damage from moisture infiltration.
For hearing aid users with rechargeable batteries, many charging cases also double as drying cases, so they simultaneously power up and maintain your devices.
Make the Batteries Last
If your hearing aid uses disposable batteries, you’ll want to extend your battery life as well as maximizing your hearing aids performance. Luckily, stretching your battery power is easy to do as part of a nightly routine. To preserve battery power, simply open the battery compartment before storing them in your drying case overnight.
Check For Blockages
One of the most common causes of hearing aid malfunctions is the presence of blockages in the openings of a device. When scanning your hearing aid before bed, make sure the openings of the hearing aid are clear of earwax and debris. The buildup of wax and other particles can restrict the sound delivered to your ear drum – sounds can become muffled or distorted and blockages can even create feedback-like sounds or whistling.
A small wax pick can be used to keep openings clear of debris and enhance the performance of your hearing aid. Specially designed for cleaning the fine components of hearing aids, wax picks can be found at drugstores and in hearing aid cleaning kits.
Avoid Extreme Temperatures
Just like water and moisture, temperature extremes can cause the electronic components of your hearing aids to malfunction. Never leave your hearing aids in a situation that can get extremely hot or cold. Very hot conditions, like a sealed car in the summer can cause your hearing aids to overheat or can even melt or warp certain components. Similarly, extreme cold can also cause your devices to underperform.
Don’t Wait On Repairs
Sometimes a hearing aid repair will be beyond the scope of basic maintenance. When this happens it is important to get your hearing aid looked at promptly by our team so no further damage occurs to the device and so that you can return to enjoying the benefits of your hearing aids quickly. Unusual sound distortion, feedback or other performance issues that can’t be traced to blockages should be looked at by our team. Repairs can usually be done quickly to get your hearing aids back on track.
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