You have an active summer planned. Some beach time and lots of swimming no doubt. You’ll do some regular jogging and then maybe take in a baseball game or two before heading home to up some tasty dinner. You’re going to be busy! And you want to ensure your hearing aids are up to the challenge.
Summer activities such as these can be hard on your hearing aids, but these little beneficial devices can be protected without it halting your summer fun.
Summer hearing aid difficulties
Each season will introduce distinct obstacles with regards to your hearing aids. In the summer, many of those tests are weather and climate related.
Here are a few summer related challenges:
- 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.
- Moisture: In the summer, moisture is nearly always a factor, whether from rain, sweat, swimming, or humidity. That’s an issue because moisture can be a huge problem for hearing aids.
- Dirt and debris: In the summer you’re very active. But when you go to the beach, there’s a good possibility you might get some sand inside of your hearing aid, and that could cause issues.
In general, it’s pretty obvious why these issues are more common during the summer months: you tend to be outdoors more often. And when you spend more time outside, you’re more likely to experience a powerful gust of wind or a flash rainstorm.
How to keep your hearing aids in good working order all summer
Your hearing aids are designed to enhance your quality of life, to allow you to do more. Most individuals who use hearing aids will want to use them as much as possible, especially during the summer. Taking care of your hearing aids by taking some extra steps can make that happen.
Keeping your hearing aids dry
Water will wreak havoc on electronics and the more state-of-the-art the electronics, the worse the possible damage. There are a few ways you can protect against moisture:
- Air dry your hearing aids while you sleep by opening the battery compartment. This will help keep the battery from corroding and will decrease damage.
- Don’t swim while wearing your hearing aids. Beach day? Nice! Just remove your hearing aids first. Naturally, this is common sense. So lingering wetness in your ears after you get out of the water is the real concern. Wearing a swim cap or earplugs while swimming is a smart plan. By doing this your ears and thus your hearing aids will remain nice and dry.
- Thoroughly dry your ears. Drying your ears completely will help avoid the accidental transfer of moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
- Wear a sweatband when you’re exercising. This will help keep moisture out of your ears (and away from your hearing aids).
- Keep a microfiber towel handy. You can use this to periodically dry your hearing aids. This stops wetness from accumulating when you aren’t watching.
Take measures to keep your hearing aids clean
The growth of bacteria is fueled by heat and moisture. During the summer especially, take measures to keep your hearing aids clean. Here are some guidelines:
- Sanitize your hearing aids on a regular basis. Specialized antibacterial wipes are made for this.
- Watch for the long-term build-up of debris. As you’re disinfecting your hearing aids, you can also take the time to clean out any debris that may have accumulated. Occasionally, a professional cleaning is needed.
- 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 keep them off of your dashboard when it’s hot. Alternatively, when you’re not using them, keep your hearing aids in a cool, dry spot.
Stay active, remain happy, keep hearing
Your hearing aids will help you for a lifetime and they will improve your summer months especially. You can keep your hearing aids dry and in good working order whether you’re hiking, swimming, or just taking an evening stroll around your neighborhood.
