You’ve got an active summer planned. You’re definitely going to hit the beach and maybe go for a swim. You’ll do some regular jogging and then maybe take in a baseball game or two before going home and grilling up some tasty dinner. You’re going to be busy! And you want to be sure your hearing aids are up to the task.
Each of these experiences can present unique challenges for your hearing aids, but there are a few simple ways you can protect these tiny, helpful devices and enjoy your summer as well.
Summertime hearing aid challenges
With hearing aids, every season will come with distinctive challenges. Climate and weather are the leading challenges during the summer.
Here are some summer related challenges:
- Moisture: Whether it’s from humidity, swimming, rain, or simply sweat, moisture is nearly always present during the summer. Moisture can be harmful to hearing aids so that can present a challenge.
- Dirt and debris: You’re active during the summer. But when you go to the beach, there’s a good possibility you could get some sand in your hearing aid, and that may cause issues.
- Wind: Your hearing aids can be pushed and pulled around by the wind if it’s powerful enough. Depending on the climate, strong winds can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aid.
In general, it’s pretty obvious why these issues are more prevalent in the summer months: you spend more time outside. And when you spend more time outside, you’re more likely to encounter a powerful gust of wind or a sudden rainstorm.
How to keep your hearing aids working great all summer
Your hearing aids are made to make it possible for you to do more, to improve your quality of life. So over the course of the summer, the majority of people want to wear their hearing aids as frequently as they can. This means doing a few extra things to care for the technology and ensure your hearing aids keep working.
Take steps to keep your hearing aids dry
Water will wreak havoc on electronics and the more state-of-the-art the electronics, the worse the possible damage. There are a few ways you can protect against moisture:
- Keep a microfiber towel nearby. You can use this to periodically dry your hearing aids. This stops moisture from accumulating when you aren’t paying attention.
- Open the battery compartment on your hearing aids at night and allow them to air dry. This will help prevent damage caused by corrosion of the battery.
- Don’t swim with your hearing aids in your ears. Beach day? Nice! Just remove your hearing aids first. Naturally, the majority of individuals already do this. So residual wetness in your ears after you get out of the water is the real issue. That’s why you should start thinking about wearing a swim cap and earplugs when you go in the water. By doing this your ears and thus your hearing aids will remain quite dry.
- When you’re doing something that will cause you to sweat, wear a sweatband. This will help keep moisture out of your ears (and far 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
The growth of bacteria is quickened by heat and moisture. So you should also take a few steps to make sure your hearing aids are remaining clean over the summer months. You can do the following:
- Store your hearing aids in a cool and dry spot. That’s because hearing aids (as a general rule) don’t do well with exposure to heat and direct sunlight. So keep them off of your dashboard on hot days. Alternatively, make certain they’re nestled away somewhere dry and cool when you’re not using them.
- Watch out for the long-term build-up of debris. As you’re disinfecting your hearing aids, you can also take the time to clean out any debris that may have built-up. Sometimes, a professional cleaning is necessary.
- Sanitize your hearing aids regularly. This can be done with specially made antibacterial and disinfectant wipes.
Be happy, remain active, hear well
Your hearing aids will be there for you for a lifetime and they will improve your summer months especially. So whether you’re planning on going for a swim in the lake, hiking up a mountain, or taking a walk around the neighborhood, there’s a way to ensure your hearing aids stay dry and keep working.