You have a lively summer planned. You’re certainly going to go to the beach and maybe take a swim. You’ll take in some live entertainment, you’ll get lots of exercise jogging or maybe playing some tennis, then it’s time to hit the grill. You’re going to be busy! And you want to be sure your hearing aids are up to the task.
All of these activities can introduce unique challenges for your hearing aids, but there are a few simple ways you can protect these tiny, helpful devices and enjoy your summer as well.
Challenges of hearing aids during the summer
With hearing aids, every season will come with unique difficulties. Climate and weather are the biggest obstacles in the summer.
Summer-related obstacles might include:
- Moisture: In the summer, moisture is almost always present, whether from rain, sweat, swimming, or humidity. That’s a problem because moisture can be a huge problem for hearing aids.
- Wind: Your hearing aids can be pushed and pulled around by the wind if it’s strong enough. And if you’re in an extremely dry climate, wind can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aids.
- Dirt and debris: You’re active in the summer. 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 problems.
Part of the reason why these issues are more common in the summer is clear: you’re usually outdoors more often. And when you spend more time outside, you’re more likely to encounter a strong gust of wind or a flash rainstorm.
Keeping your hearing aids at optimum performance through the summer
Your hearing aids are made to make it possible for you to do more, to improve your quality of life. So over the course of the summer, most people want to wear their hearing aids as often as possible. This means taking a few extra steps to care for the technology and make sure your hearing aids keep working.
Keeping your hearing aids dry
We’ve established that moisture is the adversary of a well-functioning hearing aid (the more advanced the electronics, the worse water becomes). There are a few ways you can protect against moisture:
- Don’t wear your hearing aids in the water. Beach day? Great! Just take out your hearing aids first. Obviously, this is common sense. So lingering moisture in your ears after you get out of the water is the real issue. That’s why you should consider using a swim cap and earplugs when you go swimming. This can help keep your ears (and thus your hearing aids) quite dry.
- Keep a microfiber towel handy. In that manner, you can dry your hearing aids throughout the day. This stops wetness from building up when you aren’t watching.
- Thoroughly dry your ears. Make sure you aren’t accidentally transferring moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
- When you’re performing an activity that will cause you to sweat, wear a sweatband. This will help keep moisture out of your ears (and far from your hearing aids).
- Open the battery compartment on your hearing aids at night and allow them to air dry. This will help prevent damage from corrosion of the battery.
Regularly clean your hearing aids
The growth of bacteria is fueled by moisture and heat. During the summer especially, take measures to keep your hearing aids clean. Here are some guidelines:
- Store your hearing aids in a place that’s dry and cool. That’s because hearing aids (generally) don’t like exposure to heat and direct sunlight. So keep them off your dashboard on hot days. Instead, when you’re not using them, store your hearing aids in a cool, dry place.
- Watch out for the long-term accumulation of debris. You can take a few minutes to get rid of any debris on your hearing aids while you disinfect them. Eventually, it’s probably also a good idea to have your hearing aids professionally cleaned.
- Disinfect your hearing aids on a regular basis. Specialized antibacterial wipes are available for this.
Stay active, stay happy, keep hearing
Your hearing aids will help you for a lifetime and they will enhance 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.