You’ve got a lively summer planned. Plenty of beach time and lots of swimming no doubt. You’ll enjoy some live entertainment, you’ll get lots of exercise jogging or perhaps playing some tennis, then it’s time to get to the grill. Your schedule is going to be rather full. So it’s crucial that your hearing aids are ready.
Each of these activities can introduce unique risks for your hearing aids, but there are a few easy ways you can safeguard these little, helpful devices and enjoy your summer at the same time.
Summertime hearing aid obstacles
With hearing aids, every season will come with unique difficulties. Climate and weather are the leading obstacles in the summer.
Summer-related challenges might include:
- Wind: A powerful enough wind can tug and yank at your hearing aids. And if you’re in a particularly dry environment, wind can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aids.
- Debris, sand and dirt: During the summer you’re very active. But sand inside of your hearing aid, like beach sand, can result in issues.
- Moisture: Whether it’s from humidity, swimming, rain, or just sweat, moisture is just about always present in the summer. That’s an issue because moisture can be a major issue for hearing aids.
For the most part, it’s pretty apparent why these issues are more widespread in the summer months: you tend to be outdoors more. And you’re more likely to encounter a surprise rain storm or a powerful wind when you’re outside so often.
Keeping your hearing aids at optimum performance through the summer
Your hearing aids are designed to improve your quality of life, to make it possible for you to do more. The majority of people who use hearing aids will want to use them as much as they can, particularly through the summer. Caring for your hearing aids by taking a few additional steps can make that happen.
Take measures to keep your hearing aids dry
We’ve established that moisture is the adversary of a well-functioning hearing aid (the more sophisticated the electronics, the worse water becomes). Protect against moisture with these tips:
- Air dry your hearing aids while you sleep by opening the battery door. This will help keep the battery from corroding and will prevent damage.
- Don’t wear your hearing aids in the water. Going for a swim? Great! Just take out your hearing aids first. Naturally, most individuals already do this. So lingering wetness in your ears after you get out of the water is the real concern. That’s why you should consider using a swim cap and earplugs when you go swimming. By doing this your ears and thus your hearing aids will stay nice and dry.
- When you’re performing an activity that will cause you to sweat, wear a sweatband. This will help keep sweat out of your ears (and far from your hearing aids).
- Dry your ears thoroughly. 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 prevent the accumulation of wetness.
Take measures to keep your hearing aids clean
Moisture and heat can both fuel the growth of bacteria. So you should also do a few things to make sure your hearing aids are staying clean during the summer months. You can do the following:
- Store your hearing aids in a cool and dry place. That’s because hearing aids (generally) don’t do well with exposure to direct sunlight and heat. So keep them off your dashboard when it’s hot. Alternatively, make certain they’re tucked away someplace cool and dry when you aren’t using them.
- Don’t let debris accumulate over time. You can take a little time to remove any debris on your hearing aids while you sanitize them. Sooner or later, it’s probably also a good idea to have your hearing aids professionally cleaned.
- Disinfect your hearing aids regularly. Specialized antibacterial wipes are available for this.
Stay active, stay happy, keep hearing
Your hearing aids will be there for 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.