You have a lively summer planned. Some beach time and lots of swimming for sure. You’ll do some day-to-day jogging and then maybe take in a ball game or two before going home to up some tasty dinner. Your schedule will be rather full. So it’s crucial that your hearing aids are prepared.
Summer activities such as these can be hard on your hearing aids, but these little beneficial devices can be protected without it slowing your summer fun.
Summer hearing aid obstacles
Every season is going to introduce distinct obstacles with regards to your hearing aids. In the summer, many of those challenges are weather and climate related.
Here are a few summer related obstacles:
- Wind: Your hearing aids can be pushed and pulled around by the wind if it’s powerful enough. And if you’re in a particularly dry environment, wind can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aids.
- Debris, sand and dirt: You’re active in the summer. But sand inside of your hearing aid, like beach sand, can lead to issues.
- Moisture: In the summer, moisture is nearly always present, whether from rain, sweat, swimming, or humidity. That’s a problem 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 spend more time outdoors. And when you spend more time outside, you’re more likely to encounter a strong gust of wind or a flash rainstorm.
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. The majority of people who wear hearing aids will want to use them as much as they can, particularly during the summer. Caring for your hearing aids by taking some additional steps can make that happen.
Keeping your hearing aids dry
We’ve established that moisture is the enemy of a well-functioning hearing aid (the more sophisticated the electronics, the worse water is). There are a few ways you can keep moisture at bay:
- Keep a microfiber towel nearby. You can use this to routinely dry your hearing aids. In this way, you can prevent the build-up of moisture.
- Dry your ears thoroughly. Drying your ears completely will help prevent the accidental transference of moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
- When you’re doing something that will cause you to sweat, use a sweatband. This will help keep sweat out of your ears (and away from your hearing aids).
- Open the battery compartment on your hearing aids at night and allow them to air dry. This will help stop the battery from corroding and will decrease damage.
- Don’t bring your hearing aids in the water. Going for a swim? Nice! Just take out your hearing aids first. Naturally, the majority of individuals already do this. So lingering wetness in your ears after you get out of the water is the real issue. That’s why you should consider 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.
Regularly clean your hearing aids
Moisture and heat can both hasten the growth of bacteria. So you should also do a few things to make sure your hearing aids are remaining clean over the summer months. Here are some guidelines:
- Watch out for the long-term accumulation of debris. As you’re disinfecting your hearing aids, you can also take the time to clean out any debris that might have accumulated. Eventually, it’s most likely also a good idea to have your hearing aids professionally cleaned.
- Store your hearing aids in a place 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 a hot summer day. Alternatively, when you’re not wearing them, keep your hearing aids in a cool, dry spot.
- Routinely disinfect your hearing aids. This can be done with specially made antibacterial and disinfectant wipes.
Be happy, remain active, hear well
Your hearing aids will help you for a lifetime and they will enhance your summer months especially. So whether you’re planning on swimming in the lake, hiking over a mountain, or taking a walk around the neighborhood, there’s a way to make sure your hearing aids stay dry and keep working.