You’re planning a very active summer. Some beach time and lots of swimming for sure. You’ll take in some live entertainment, you’ll get lots of exercise jogging or perhaps playing some tennis, then it’s time to hit the grill. You’re going to be busy! So it’s essential that your hearing aids are prepared.
All of these activities can introduce unique risks for your hearing aids, but there are some easy ways you can safeguard these little, helpful devices and enjoy your summer at the same time.
Summer hearing aid obstacles
Every season will introduce unique difficulties with regards to your hearing aids. Climate and weather are the greatest challenges during the summer.
Here are a few summer related obstacles:
- Dirt and debris: You’re active in the summer. But when you go to the beach, there’s a good possibility you might get some sand in your hearing aid, and that might cause problems.
- Moisture: During the summer, moisture is almost always present, whether from rain, sweat, swimming, or humidity. That’s a problem because moisture can be a major issue for hearing aids.
- Wind: A powerful enough wind can jerk and yank at your hearing aids. Depending on the climate, strong winds can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aid.
Generally, it’s pretty apparent why these problems are more common in the summer months: you spend more time outdoors. And you’re more likely to encounter a surprise rain storm or a strong wind when you’re outside so often.
Keeping your hearing aids at optimum performance through the summer
Your hearing aids are made to improve your quality of life, to make it possible for you to do more. So throughout the summer, most individuals want to use their hearing aids as frequently as possible. Taking care of your hearing aids by taking a few extra steps can make that happen.
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 becomes). Keep moisture at bay with these tips:
- Have a microfiber towel handy. You can use this to routinely dry your hearing aids. This stops moisture from accumulating when you aren’t watching.
- Open the battery compartment on your hearing aids while you sleep and allow them to air dry. This will help counter damage caused by corrosion of the battery.
- Don’t bring your hearing aids into the water. 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 lingers after you go swimming. Using a swim cap or earplugs when you’re swimming is a smart idea. This can help keep your ears (and thus your hearing aids) quite dry.
- Thoroughly dry your ears. Make sure you aren’t accidentally transferring moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
- When you’re doing something that will cause you to sweat, use a sweatband. Your hearing aids will stay quite dry because sweat can’t reach them.
Take measures to keep your hearing aids clean
Moisture and heat can both fuel the growth of bacteria. During the summer particularly, take measures to keep your hearing aids clean. You can do the following:
- Routinely disinfect your hearing aids. Specialized antibacterial wipes are available for this.
- Store your hearing aids in a dry, cool place. Hearing aids, as a rule, don’t do well in the direct sunlight. So keep them off your dashboard on hot days. Instead, make sure they’re nestled away somewhere dry and cool when you’re not wearing them.
- Watch out for the long-term build-up of debris. You can take a little time to remove any debris on your hearing aids while you sanitize them. Sooner or later, it’s most likely also a good idea to have your hearing aids professionally cleaned.
Stay active, stay happy, keep hearing
Your hearing aids are made to help you all through your life, and that’s definitely true of the summer months. There’s a way to keep your hearing aids dry and in good working order whether you’re hiking, swimming, or simply taking an evening stroll around your neighborhood.
