Tips for Maintaining your Hearing Aids

If you have hearing loss, a hearing aid is an investment that has the potential to greatly improve your quality of life. It may take some time to adjust to at first, but soon you’ll find that your hearing instrument is an invaluable tool that brings ease to your daily interactions. These eight basic tips will help you wear your hearing aid safely and comfortably, and show you how to prevent damage to this crucial instrument.

1) Protect your hearing aids from moisture.

One of the most important things you can do is to make sure that your hearing device doesn’t come into contact with water. Moisture is one of the most damaging things to a hearing aid, so make sure to always remove your hearing aids before swimming, showering, taking a bath, washing your face, going out in the rain, or any other scenario where they are likely to become wet. As humidity can also damage hearing devices, consider investing in a dehumidifying unit to store your hearing aids in at night, especially if you live in a humid climate.

2) Watch out to hairspray.

Always be sure to take out your hearing aids before applying hairspray, as this product can gum up hearing devices and interfere with their components. It is also quite difficult to remove. Before putting your hearing aids back in, make sure the hairspray is dry. This step may add a few minutes to your routine, but it will increase the longevity of your device in the long run.

3) Don’t keep your hearing aid batteries where children can reach them.

Small children love to put things in their mouths, and a stray battery can be accidentally swallowed in a second. A swallowed battery can burn a hole in the esophagus, sometimes causing irreparable damage — so keep your hearing aid batteries well out of reach of your children and grandchildren. If you suspect a child has swallowed a battery, go to the emergency room immediately.

4) Dogs and hearing aids don’t mix.

Your hearing aid is a valuable piece of equipment; but to your family pet it is just another thing to chew on. Damage caused by a dog is considered negligence and not covered by most insurance or warranties, so keep your hearing devices out of your dog’s reach. When you are not wearing them, put them high up in a safe place.

5) Check your hearing aids every morning.

You don’t want to be out in public and find that your hearing aids aren’t working, so before starting your day, be sure to check that they are functioning properly. Some aids will play a melody when turned on and others will simply turn on. To check amplification levels, rub your hands next your ear after you insert the device–you should be able to hear the hand-rubbing sound clearly.

6) Get the most out of your batteries.

Always be sure to turn off your hearing aid at night, to prevent your battery from running out quickly. Opening the battery door will turn off your device, but you may also wish to remove the battery when the aid is not in use. Opening the battery door will also allow air into the device, preventing moisture build-up.

7) Replace your batteries as needed.

Of course, no matter how good you are at conserving your battery, it will eventually need to be replaced. As a rule, the smaller the device, the smaller the battery–and the more frequently it will need to be changed. Most hearing devices will beep to signal that the battery is running low; change your battery as soon as you hear this signal.

8) Give yourself time to adjust.

It may take a little time to become comfortable wearing a hearing aid all day, so start out slowly and gently, using your aids for short intervals of 3 to 5 hours per day for the first couple of weeks. Make adjustments as necessary. If you are comfortable with them, increase the wearing time by 1 to 2 hours each day. Be patient, and soon you will be able to wear them all day with ease. And of course, don’t hesitate to contact us at Hear Care Rhode Island if any questions or concerns arise!