Anyone who uses hearing aids will tell you that these small pieces of electronic equipment are expensive and need to be handled and maintained with care. These delicate hearing solutions are massively important when it comes to improving your overall quality of life. To save money and stop your life from coming to a standstill, we put together our six top tips for maintaining your hearing aids.
Hearing loss can impact anyone and leave you at risk from physical and mental health issues. Hearing loss occurs through noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and general deterioration with age. Once lost, hearing never returns. However, hearing aids can help you hear with ease and clarity and slow or even stop the worsening hearing loss. Since hearing aids are so crucial to your day-to-day life, it is essential to look after them.
1. Avoid Moisture
Only a small number of hearing aids are 100% waterproof. The rest are made up of delicate electronic technology that is highly susceptible to any water or moisture. Keeping your hearing aids dry means that you should remove them before entering any damp environment like the shower, swimming pool, or sauna.
If your hearing aids come into contact with any water, make sure that you remove them immediately and gently dry them with a dry towel or cloth. Avoid using a hairdryer as the heat can cause as much damage.
2. Store Carefully
When it comes to taking your hearing aids out at night, it is essential to find somewhere dry and safe to store them. Many models of hearing aids have protective cases which are designed to keep them safe and secure.
If your hearing aids don’t come with their own case, then you should still store them in a clean, dry place. If your hearing aids are battery-operated, you might want to leave them with the battery doors open to ensure that moisture doesn’t build up and cause damage.
3. Remove Earwax With Regular Cleaning
Cerumen or earwax might be important when it comes to hearing health, but it certainly doesn’t improve the performance of your hearing aids. To prevent earwax from building up around your hearing aids over time, you should clean your hearing aids regularly with a small soft brush or a cotton swab. Doing this regularly should stop any wax or debris from building up. However, be careful with the microphone and the receiver as these two parts are particularly sensitive.
Also, make sure that you frequently change the wax filter within your hearing aids. These filters prevent the internal components from being damaged by wax.
4. Avoid Contact With Cosmetics
We all like getting glammed up for dinner and drinks or a night out but be careful not to expose your hearing aids to chemical cosmetics that you apply without thinking. Products like perfume and hairspray can be highly damaging to the internal components of your hearing aids. Therefore, it is best to apply these products when you plan not to use your hearing aids. Otherwise, these beauty products could end up making that night out an expensive one
5. Change Your Hearing Aid Batteries
Many of the newest models of hearing aids have rechargeable technology but for many of us who use hearing aids, changing the batteries is still something we have to think about. If your hearing aids aren’t rechargeable, it is vital to remember to change the batteries frequently.
If your hearing aid batteries aren’t replaced often enough, this may cause your hearing aids to malfunction. Also, if a small amount of moisture comes into contact with the batteries, it can cause damaging corrosion. It is therefore essential to replace your hearing aid batteries often.
6. Get Professional Cleaning
Hearing aid maintenance is down to you. You have the power to ensure hearing aid performance and extend the lifespan of your hearing aid. That said, it is a good idea to schedule regular professional cleaning with your hearing aid specialist.
Your hearing aid specialist will be able to clean and check for damage to your hearing aids and adjust the setting of your hearing aids to ensure that they offer peak hearing performance.
