Hearing aids are an investment. When you take care of them, they take care of your hearing health. Luckily caring for your hearing aids is simple.
Tips for taking care of your hearing aids
You want to protect that investment. You want those hearing aids to last as long as they possibly can. And that makes a whole lot of sense. Here are some quick, easy tips designed to help you take care of your hearing aids the right way.
Avoid moisture
The number one enemy of hearing aids is moisture. And you might think moisture is easy enough to avoid–take your hearing aid out before showering or dancing in the rain (or singing in the rain)–but sometimes that even includes ambient humidity.
That’s especially true if you happen to live somewhere especially humid (anywhere tropical or near a large body of water, basically). So you should always store your hearing aids in a dry place or, in some cases, invest in a dehumidifying container for your hearing aids.
You’ll also want to consider whether your lifestyle contributes to extra moisture. For example, if you like to work out while wearing your hearing aids or sit by the pool with them in your ears.
Clean regularly
You should clean your hearing aids daily. That’s especially true in cases where you can’t see the dirt. Because hearing aids are so small, the type of dirt and debris they tend to collect is also quite small. The trick, then, is to clean your hearing aid regularly–and properly–whether it looks dirty or not.
It’s also a good idea, as long as we’re on the topic, to ensure you’re keeping up with the recommended maintenance schedule and send your hearing aids in for upkeep when necessary. It’s important to both get the occasional professional cleaning, but also to check the fit and whether your hearing itself may have changed. Otherwise, your hearing aids won’t work as they are meant to.
How can you avoid losing your hearing aids?
So, let’s say you’re doing great with your maintenance, cleaning, and dryness–how can you avoid losing your hearing aid? After all, if you can’t find your hearing aid, it doesn’t really matter how up-to-date the maintenance is!
First and foremost, keep your hearing aids in the same place every night. A routine really helps. And it’s for that reason that you should avoid placing your hearing aids in any other foreign matter–such as rice. (While some people think this is a great way to get out moisture, it’s not a good idea.) Generally speaking, putting a pair of tiny hearing aids in a bag of rice is a great way to accidentally throw away (or cook!) your hearing aids. Plus, you don’t want to expose your hearing aid to the fine powder that sometimes results in a bag of rice.
Instead, choose a spot for your hearing aids that is high (away from little hands and pets), dry, and part of your daily routine.
One neat little trick is to put your hearing aids on your charging station every night. That way, you know exactly where they are when you wake up in the morning (and if you have rechargeable hearing aids, the batteries will be charged! Win-win!). Developing a routine is going to be your safest bet–and following that routine will be vital. But if you have small children or pets, it’s safer to put your hearing aid in your bedside drawer or somewhere they can’t reach.
Also, get into the habit of occasionally checking the hearing aids, especially after bending forward, like to put glasses in the dishwasher or to do your laundry. If the hearing aids are not placed properly, they can fall out.
If you wear glasses or anything near the ear, such as a mask, make sure to check your ear after removing them to make sure you didn’t dislodge the hearing aid.
Settle into your routine
So, if you had put your hearing aids on your charging station last night, you’d know exactly where to look for them. But since not everyone can be that perfect, you have a couple of options. First, it’s nice to have a backup pair of hearing aids (an older pair, perhaps).
Second, some modern hearing aids are Bluetooth-enabled with all kinds of features. Some hearing aid apps will help you locate your hearing aid.
It might take you some time, but eventually, you’ll settle into a routine with your hearing aids. And then they’ll just become part of your life–a vital and enriching part of your life that you’ll be able to keep easy track of as long as you put them on their charging station every night.