You have an active summer planned. Plenty of beach time and lots of swimming no doubt. You’ll do some day-to-day jogging and then maybe attend a ball game or two before heading home and grilling up some delicious dinner. Your schedule will be rather full. So it’s important that your hearing aids are ready.
Summer activities such as these can be tough on your hearing aids, but these little useful devices can be safeguarded without it slowing your summer fun.
Challenges of hearing aids during the summer
With hearing aids, every season will have distinctive difficulties. In the summer, many of those challenges are weather and climate related.
Here are a few summer related challenges:
- Dirt and debris: During the summer you’re very active. But sand inside of your hearing aid, such as beach sand, can lead to problems.
- 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.
- Moisture: In the summer, moisture is nearly always present, whether from sweat, rain, swimming, or humidity. That’s problematic because moisture can be a major issue for hearing aids.
Part of the reason why these problems are more common in the summer is self-evident: you’re usually outdoors more. And you’re more likely to encounter a surprise rain storm or a strong wind when you’re outdoors so often.
Keeping your hearing aids at optimum performance through the summer
Your hearing aids are made to improve your quality of life, to allow you to do more. The majority of individuals who wear hearing aids will want to use them as much as possible, especially during the summer. This means taking a few extra steps to care for the technology and make sure your hearing aids keep working.
Take actions to keep your hearing aids dry
Water will damage electronics and the more sophisticated the electronics, the worse the potential damage. Keep moisture at bay with these tips:
- Use a headband when you’re exercising. This will help keep moisture out of your ears (and away from your hearing aids).
- Open the battery compartment on your hearing aids while you sleep and allow them to air dry. This will help keep the battery from corroding and will decrease damage.
- Dry your ears thoroughly. Make sure you aren’t accidentally transferring moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
- 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.
- Don’t go swimming while wearing your hearing aids. Beach day? Great! Don’t forget to take out your hearing aids before swimming. Naturally, most people already do this. So the real hazard is the wetness in your ears that lingers after you go swimming. Wearing a swim cap or earplugs when you’re swimming is a smart plan. By doing this your ears and thus your hearing aids will stay quite dry.
Routinely clean your hearing aids
Moisture and heat can both fuel the growth of bacteria. In the summer particularly, take measures to keep your hearing aids clean. Here are some guidelines:
- Disinfect your hearing aids regularly. Specialized antibacterial wipes are available for this.
- Don’t let debris accumulate over time. As you’re disinfecting your hearing aids, you can also take the time to clean out any debris that might have accumulated. Occasionally, a professional cleaning is necessary.
- Store your hearing aids in a cool and dry place. That’s because hearing aids (generally) don’t do well with exposure to heat and direct sunlight. So keep them off your dashboard when it’s hot. Instead, when you’re not using them, keep your hearing aids in a cool, dry place.
Be happy, stay 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 over a mountain, or going for a walk around the neighborhood, there’s a way to ensure your hearing aids remain dry and keep working.