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Hearing aids represent a significant investment in both time and money, and they last about three to seven years on average. It’s important to care for your devices properly in order to ensure you get the most you can out of them. Below are some tips for proper hearing aid maintenance to keep your devices in tip-top shape.
Handle Hearing Aids with Care
Modern hearing aids are built to be durable in order to survive the rugged environment of your ear, but they still contain powerful technology that is very delicate. Be mindful to have a secure grip whenever you hold, insert, remove or clean your device. When setting it down, place it somewhere soft and clean like a towel where it cannot easily be knocked onto the ground or into the sink or toilet.
Avoid Water
While most hearing aids have some level of water resistance, you should never submerge your devices in water. Be sure to take them out before showering, bathing, swimming or sitting in a sauna. If you go outside in the rain, wear a rain jacket with a cinched hood or use an umbrella.
If moisture reaches the inner components of the hearing aid, it could cause permanent damage. If they do become wet, carefully dry the outside, then place them in a dehumidifier, which can be purchased online or somewhere such as the Topeka Pharmacy. If you have a dehumidifier, it’s a great place to store your devices at night.
Clean Daily
Your hearing aids are subjected to earwax and sweat every single day, so it’s important to clean them regularly. The following tools are essential for getting the job done:
Cleaning brush. A cleaning brush has a soft tip for cleaning the body, faceplate and sound port of your hearing aids. Some include a magnetic battery removal tool as well.
Wax pick/wire loop. This tool helps remove wax and other debris from your hearing device’s nooks and crannies.
Multi-tool. These devices are versatile and contain both a brush and a wax loop.
If your devices are beginning to produce poor sound quality, they may simply need a deep clean by an audiologist. We recommend coming in for a clean in check every six months.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call the experts at Topeka ENT today.