What would you do if your hearing aids quit working at a time when you most needed them. Such as in the middle of a phone call?
No one wants that to happen! Your hearing aids are an important investment in your hearing, happiness, and general health. Keeping them working in peak condition allows you to obtain the greatest possible advantages from them.
You can properly care for your hearing aids and keep them functioning in peak condition by implementing these 7 tips.
1. Get to Know The Instruction Manual
Your hearing aids came with a manual describing how to take care of them to experience the best results. Many technical challenges you may be experiencing can be resolved by the trouble-shooting guides that are in these manuals.
Always go to the manual first if something isn’t working properly.
Any issues associated with the performance of your hearing aid should be covered in the manual. Modern hearing aids function differently than the older models so even if you’ve had hearing aids before this is important. After all, there have been lots of changes in hearing aid technology in the past few years.
2. Keep Your Hearing Aids Clean
Bacteria often use hearing aids as a breeding ground.
While there’s normally some harmless bacteria on your skin, if you don’t wash your hands or properly clean the hearing aids, it can result in an infection.
Further hearing issues can be the result of an ear infection. Some of these issues are short lived but permanent damage can also happen.
Bacteria prefer damp surfaces, so wipe each hearing aid with a dry cloth before and after every use. Water can ruin your hearing aid so keep them out of water. Being careful not to get them too wet, utilize an alcohol-free wet wipe to clean and disinfect.
Once each week, clean the hearing aid and any custom mold pieces completely.
Regularly cleaning your hearing aids will help prevent wax buildup on the earpiece.
3. Don’t Allow Your Hearing Aids Get Wet
Getting wet is not something that most hearing aids are made to do. Even high humidity can damage them. After cleaning, don’t keep them on the nightstand.
Hearing aids sitting on a surface in your house will accumulate dust that contains bacteria.
Keep your hearing aids in a cool, dry place as outlined by the manufacturer’s guidelines. Remember to take them out before you shower or take a bath. Leave your hearing aids in another room when you shower because there will be moisture in the air.
Take an umbrella with you if it’s raining.
Always keep your charger with you because your battery could drain faster if the air has moisture.
Don’t allow your hearing aid to be exposed to extreme heat, such as a blow dryer or sauna, as that can also damage them.
4. Keep The Battery Charged
Don’t get caught without a backup battery at your nephew’s piano recital.
When you take your hearing aids off to go to bed, turn them all the way off. Remove the batteries if you are going to go for a long time period without wearing your hearing aids. You’ll get more life from the battery this way, and you’ll avoid the risk of battery acid damaging the hearing aid’s sensitive electronics.
You can significantly prolong 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
Anytime you’re inserting something in your ear, it will push a small amount of earwax into the canal. If you let this earwax build up, it might eventually cause voices to sound muffled. Set up an appointment for a cleaning with your hearing specialist if your hearing seems dull and muted.
With the correct tools and know-how, it’s a simple process. A hearing professional should be the only individual who performs this procedure.
6. Insert Your Hearing Aids Above a Soft Surface
Taking the chance of dropping your hearing aid into the toilet or sink is really not worth it. This can easily lead to dropping the hearing aid and damaging it. Always insert your devices over a soft surface like a bed, sofa, or a folded towel placed on a table or counter.
7. If You’re Not Experiencing Improved Hearing, Talk To a Specialist
You need to continue to wear your hearing aids even if you’re not currently having the best success. There are answers. Schedule an appointment to come see us.