As a swimmer, you enjoy being in the water. When you were a kid, everybody said you were part fish because you loved to swim so much the pool was your second home. Today, the water sounds a bit… louder… than normal. And then you recognize your oversight: you went in the pool with your hearing aid in. And you aren’t really sure those tiny electronic devices are waterproof.
In most scenarios, you’re right to be a little worried. Hearing aids are typically designed with some amount of water resistance in mind. But being resistant to water is not the same as actually being waterproof.
Hearing aids and water resistance ratings
Generally speaking, your hearing aids are going to work best when they are kept clean and dry. But some hearing aids are designed so a little splash here and there won’t be a problem. It all depends on something known as an IP rating–that’s the officially allocated water resistance number.
Here’s how the IP rating works: every hearing aid is assigned a two-digit number. The first digit shows the device’s resistance to sand, dust, and other types of dry erosion.
The number here that we’re really considering though, is the second number which signifies the device’s resistance to water. The device will last longer under water the greater this number is. So if a device has a rating of IP87 it will have really good resistance to dry erosion and will be fine under water for about a half hour.
Although there aren’t any hearing aids currently available that are completely waterproof, there are some that can have a high water resistance rating.
Is water resistance worthwhile?
Your hearing aids have sophisticated electronics inside them which can be damaged by moisture. Normally, you’ll want to take out your hearing aids before you go for a swim or jump into the shower or depending on the IP rating, sit outside in overly humid weather. If you drop your hearing aid in the deep end of the pool, a high IP rating won’t help much, but there are other situations where it can be useful:
- You enjoy boating or other water activities that produce over-spray
- If you have a heavy sweating problem
- If the climate where you live is rainy or excessively humid
- You have a track record of forgetting to take your hearing aids out before you shower or go out into the rain
This list is only a small sample. It’ll be up to you and your hearing specialist to consider your daily life and decide just what sort of water resistance is strong enough for your life.
Your hearing aids need to be taken care of
It’s important to note that water-resistant doesn’t mean maintenance-free. Between sweat-filled runs, it will be in your best interest to ensure that you clean your hearing aids and keep them dry.
In some cases, that might mean purchasing a dehumidifier. But in most cases, a clean dry storage place will work fine (depending on where you live). And it will be necessary to completely clean and remove any residue left behind by certain moistures including sweat.
What can you do if your hearing aids get wet?
Just because waterproof hearing aids don’t exist doesn’t mean you need to panic if your hearing aid gets wet. Mostly because panicking never improves the situation anyway so it’s best to remain calm. But you will want to carefully allow your hearing aids to dry and check in with us to make sure that they aren’t damaged, especially if they have a low IP rating.
How much damage your hearing aid has sustained can be approximated based on the IP rating. If you can abstain from getting your hearing aids wet, you will get the best results. The drier your hearing devices stay, the better.