You’re planning a very active summer. 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 ball game or two before heading home to up some delicious dinner. You’ll be busy! So it’s essential that your hearing aids are ready.
Summer activities like these can be tough on your hearing aids, but these little useful devices can be safeguarded without it slowing your summer fun.
Summer hearing aid obstacles
Each season is going to present unique challenges when it comes to your hearing aids. Climate and weather are the leading challenges during the summer.
Summer-related challenges could include:
- Wind: A powerful enough wind can tug and yank at your hearing aids. And if you’re in an extremely dry environment, wind can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aids.
- Debris, sand and dirt: You’re active in the summer. But when you hit the beach, there’s a good chance you might get some sand in your hearing aid, and that might cause problems.
- Moisture: In the summer, moisture is almost always present, whether from rain, sweat, swimming, or humidity. That’s an issue because moisture can be a major problem for hearing aids.
Part of the reason why these issues are more likely to crop up in the summer is self-evident: you tend to be outdoors more. And you’re more likely to experience a surprise rain storm or a strong wind when you’re outside so often.
How to keep your hearing aids working great all summer
Your hearing aids are made to enhance your quality of life, to allow you to do more. So over the course of the summer, the majority of individuals want to wear their hearing aids as frequently as possible. This means taking a few extra steps to care for the technology and ensure your hearing aids keep working.
Take steps 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 becomes). There are several ways you can keep moisture at bay:
- Air dry your hearing aids at night by opening the battery door. This will help counter damage from corrosion of the battery.
- Have a microfiber towel nearby. You can use this to periodically dry your hearing aids. In this way, you can prevent the accumulation of moisture.
- When you’re performing an activity that will cause you to sweat, use a sweatband. Your hearing aids will stay quite dry because moisture can’t get to them.
- Dry your ears thoroughly. Make sure you aren’t accidentally transferring moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
- Don’t bring your hearing aids in the water. Going for a swim? Great! Don’t forget to remove your hearing aids before going into the water. Naturally, this is common sense. So residual moisture in your ears after you get out of the water is the real issue. Wearing a swim cap or earplugs when you’re swimming is a good plan. By doing this your ears and thus your hearing aids will stay quite dry.
Take steps to keep your hearing aids clean
Heat and moisture can both fuel the growth of bacteria. In the summer particularly, take steps to keep your hearing aids clean. You can do the following:
- Store your hearing aids in a place that’s cool and dry. That’s because hearing aids (generally) don’t like exposure to heat and direct sunlight. So keep them off your dashboard when it’s hot. Instead, make sure they’re tucked away somewhere cool and dry when you aren’t wearing them.
- Disinfect your hearing aids regularly. This can be accomplished with specially made antibacterial and disinfectant wipes.
- Don’t let debris accumulate over time. As you’re sanitizing your hearing aids, you can also take the time to clear away any debris that might have accumulated. Sometimes, a professional cleaning is needed.
Be happy, remain active, hear well
Your hearing aids are made to help you throughout your life, and that’s definitely true of the summer season. So whether you’re planning on going for a swim in the lake, hiking over a mountain, or going for a walk around the neighborhood, there’s a way to be sure your hearing aids remain dry and keep working.