You’re planning a really active summer. You’re certainly going to hit the beach and maybe go for a swim. You’ll enjoy some live entertainment, you’ll get lots of exercise jogging or possibly playing some tennis, then it’s time to hit the grill. You’re going to be busy! So it’s important that your hearing aids are prepared.
Each of these experiences can introduce unique challenges for your hearing aids, but there are a few easy ways you can safeguard these tiny, helpful devices and enjoy your summer as well.
Difficulties of hearing aids during the summer
With hearing aids, every season will come with unique challenges. In the summer, most of those challenges are weather and climate related.
Summer-related obstacles may include:
- Moisture: In the summer, moisture is nearly always a factor, whether from sweat, rain, swimming, or humidity. That’s a problem because moisture can be a major problem for hearing aids.
- Wind: Your hearing aids can be pushed and pulled around by the wind if it’s powerful enough. Depending on the climate, powerful winds can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aid.
- Dirt and debris: You’re active in the summer. But when you hit the beach, there’s a good possibility you may get some sand inside of your hearing aid, and that could cause problems.
Generally, it’s quite apparent why these problems are more common in the summer months: you spend more time outside. And when you spend more time outside, you’re more likely to experience a strong gust of wind or a sudden rainstorm.
Keeping your hearing aids at optimum performance through the summer
Your hearing aids are made to allow you to do more, to enhance your quality of life. So throughout the summer, the majority of people want to use their hearing aids as often as possible. This means doing a few extra things to take care of the technology and make sure your hearing aids continue working.
Take measures to keep your hearing aids dry
We’ve established that moisture is the adversary of a well-functioning hearing aid (the more state-of-the-art the electronics, the worse water is). Protect against moisture with these tips:
- Don’t swim with your hearing aids in your ears. Beach day? Great! Just remove your hearing aids first. Obviously, this is common sense. So the real danger is the moisture in your ears that remains after you go into the water. Wearing a swim cap or earplugs while swimming is a good idea. By doing this your ears and thus your hearing aids will remain nice and dry.
- Keep a microfiber towel nearby. That way, you can dry your hearing aids all through the day. In this way, you can prevent the accumulation of moisture.
- Open the battery compartment on your hearing aids while you sleep and let them air dry. This will help keep the battery from corroding and will prevent damage.
- When you’re performing an activity that will cause you to sweat, use a sweatband. This will help keep moisture out of your ears (and away from your hearing aids).
- Dry your ears thoroughly. Make sure you aren’t accidentally transferring moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
Regularly clean your hearing aids
Moisture and heat can both hasten the growth of bacteria. During the summer especially, take measures to keep your hearing aids clean. Here are some guidelines:
- Don’t let debris build-up over time. As you’re disinfecting your hearing aids, you can also take the time to clear away any debris that might have accumulated. Eventually, it’s most likely also a good idea to have your hearing aids professionally cleaned.
- Disinfect your hearing aids on a regular basis. Specialized antibacterial wipes are made for this.
- Store your hearing aids in a spot that’s cool and dry. Hearing aids, generally speaking, don’t handle direct sunlight very well. So don’t put them on your dashboard on the hottest day of summer. Alternatively, when you’re not wearing them, keep your hearing aids in a dry, cool spot.
Stay active, stay happy, keep hearing
Your hearing aids will be there for you for a lifetime and they will enhance your summer months especially. So whether you’re planning on swimming in the lake, hiking up a mountain, or taking a walk around the neighborhood, there’s a way to ensure your hearing aids remain dry and keep working.