What would you do if your hearing aids stopped working at a time when you most needed them. Such as when you’re in a crucial meeting.
Nobody wants that to occur! Your hearing aids are an important investment in your hearing, happiness, and general health. You will get the greatest possible benefit from your hearing aids if you keep them functioning in peak condition.
You can correctly take care of your hearing aids and keep them functioning in top condition by following these 7 tips.
1. Become Familiar With The Instruction Manual
Your hearing aids came with a manual outlining how to take care of them to experience the best results. Many technical problems you might be having can be resolved by the trouble-shooting guides that are in these manuals.
If something isn’t working properly, always consult the manual first.
Any issues associated with the performance of your hearing aid should be addressed in the manual. This is important even if you’ve worn hearing aids before because your new devices may not function in the same manner. Obviously, hearing aid technology has advanced substantially in recent years.
2. Clean Your Hearing Aids
Hearing aids can be a breeding ground for bacteria.
If you don’t clean and disinfect your hearing aids and wash your hands before you use them, an ear infection can occur.
Additional hearing issues can be the result of an ear infection. Most are temporary, but some can cause lasting damage.
Bacteria prefer moist surfaces, so clean each hearing aid with a dry cloth before and after each use. You should never put your hearing aids in water. Disinfect them frequently with an alcohol-free wipe, being cautious not to get it too wet.
Clean them carefully once every week, including any custom mold pieces.
Regularly cleaning your hearing aids will help prevent wax buildup on the earpiece.
3. Keep Your Hearing Aids Dry
Getting wet is not something that most hearing aids are designed to do. Even high humidity can damage them. Don’t keep them on the nightstand after cleaning.
Hearing aids will gather dust which has bacteria if they are left sitting on an exposed surface.
Keep your hearing aids in a cool, dry place according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. Before you go into the shower or bathe, be sure you take them out. Moisture is still present in the air when you shower, so don’t leave them on the bathroom counter while getting ready.
Bring an umbrella with you if there’s rain in the forecast.
Always keep your charger with you because your battery may drain faster if the air has moisture.
Don’t allow your hearing aid to be exposed to intense heat, such as a blow dryer or sauna, because that can also damage them.
4. Avoid Draining The Battery
Don’t get caught without a backup battery at your child’s piano recital.
When you take your hearing aids off to go to sleep, turn them all the way off. Remove the batteries if you’re going to go for a long time period without wearing your hearing aids. If you allow your hearing aids to sit for long time periods with the battery in them, the life of the battery can be diminished and their sensitive electronics can be damaged by battery acid.
You can substantially extend the life of your batteries with this guidance but always bring a spare battery, just in case.
5. Get a Hearing Professional to Clean Your Ears
A little bit of wax is pushed into your ear canal each time you insert your hearing aid. If you let this earwax build up, it may eventually cause voices to sound muted. If your hearing experience doesn’t seem correct, schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist to check for abnormal earwax buildup.
The removal procedure is simple with the correct tools. An expert in hearing should be the only person who performs this procedure.
6. Insert Your Hearing Aids Over a Soft Surface
Taking the risk of dropping your hearing aid into the sink or toilet is really not worth it. This can definitely lead to dropping the hearing aid and breaking it. Always insert your devices over a soft surface like a bed, sofa, or a folded towel placed on a table or counter.
7. Consult a Specialist if You Aren’t Experiencing Better Hearing
If you aren’t having the best experience with your hearing aids, don’t discontinue wearing them. There are solutions. Schedule an appointment for a consultation.