You’re planning a really active summer. Some beach time and lots of swimming for sure. You’ll do some regular running and then maybe attend a baseball game or two before heading home to up some delicious dinner. You’re going to be busy! So it’s essential that your hearing aids are prepared.
Each of these activities can introduce unique hazards for your hearing aids, but there are a few simple ways you can safeguard these tiny, helpful devices and enjoy your summer as well.
Summer hearing aid obstacles
Every season is going to introduce unique obstacles with regards to your hearing aids. During 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 really active. But sand inside of your hearing aid, like beach sand, can cause problems.
- Moisture: Whether it’s from swimming, humidity, rain, or simply sweat, moisture is just about always present during the summer. That’s problematic because moisture can be a major problem for hearing aids.
- Wind: Your hearing aids can be pushed and pulled around by the wind if it’s strong enough. Depending on the climate, powerful winds can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aid.
Part of the reason why these problems are more likely to crop up in the summer is clear: you spend more time outside. 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 allow you to do more, to improve your quality of life. So over the course of the summer, most people want to use their hearing aids as frequently as they can. Caring for your hearing aids by taking a few extra steps can make that happen.
Take measures to keep your hearing aids dry
Water will damage electronics and the more state-of-the-art the electronics, the worse the potential damage. Protect against moisture with these tips:
- Open the battery compartment on your hearing aids while you sleep and let them air dry. This will help keep the battery from corroding and will prevent damage.
- Don’t swim while wearing your hearing aids. Beach day? Great! Just remove your hearing aids first. Of course, the majority of individuals already do this. So residual wetness in your ears after you get out of the water is the real concern. 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 remain quite dry.
- When you’re doing something that will cause you to sweat, wear a sweatband. This will help keep sweat out of your ears (and far from your hearing aids).
- Thoroughly dry your ears. Make sure you aren’t accidentally transferring moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
- Keep a microfiber towel nearby. You can use this to routinely dry your hearing aids. In this way, you can avoid the build-up of moisture.
Routinely clean your hearing aids
Moisture and heat can both hasten the growth of bacteria. So you should also take a few steps to ensure your hearing aids are staying clean during the summer months. You can do the following:
- Store your hearing aids in a dry, cool spot. That’s because hearing aids (as a general rule) don’t do well with exposure to heat and direct sunlight. So don’t store them on your dashboard on the hottest day of summer. Alternatively, make certain they’re tucked away someplace cool and dry when you’re not wearing them.
- Don’t let debris accumulate over time. You can take a few minutes to get rid of any debris on your hearing aids while you sanitize them. Occasionally, a professional cleaning is necessary.
- Sanitize your hearing aids regularly. This can be done with specially produced antibacterial and disinfectant wipes.
Stay active, stay happy, keep hearing
Your hearing aids are designed to accompany you throughout your life, and that’s certainly true of the summer season. So whether you’re planning on swimming in the lake, hiking up a mountain, or going for a walk around the neighborhood, there’s a way to ensure your hearing aids stay dry and keep working.