You’re planning a very active summer. Plenty of beach time and lots of swimming for sure. You’ll do some regular jogging and then maybe take in a baseball game or two before heading home to up some delicious dinner. You’re going to be busy! So it’s crucial that your hearing aids are ready.
Summer activities such as these can be tough on your hearing aids, but these little helpful devices can be protected without it halting your summer fun.
Obstacles of hearing aids during the summer
With hearing aids, each season will have distinctive obstacles. In the summer, many of those tests are weather and climate related.
Summer-related obstacles might include:
- Debris, sand and dirt: You’re active in the summer. But sand inside of your hearing aid, like beach sand, can lead to issues.
- Wind: A strong 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.
- Moisture: Whether it’s from swimming, humidity, rain, or just sweat, moisture is nearly always present during the summer. Moisture can do a number on hearing aids so that can present a problem.
Generally, it’s pretty obvious why these problems are more common in the summer months: you tend to be outdoors more often. And you’re more likely to experience a surprise rain storm or a powerful wind when you’re outdoors so often.
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 enhance your quality of life. Most individuals who use hearing aids will want to use them as much as possible, particularly during the summer. This means taking a few extra steps to care for the technology and ensure 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:
- Thoroughly dry your ears. Drying your ears thoroughly will help avoid the accidental transference of moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
- Keep a microfiber towel nearby. That way, you can dry out your hearing aids throughout the day. This stops moisture from accumulating when you aren’t paying attention.
- Wear a sweatband when you’re working out. Your hearing aids will stay quite dry because moisture can’t get to them.
- Don’t swim while wearing your hearing aids. Beach day? Great! Don’t forget to take out your hearing aids before going into the water. Naturally, this is common sense. So the real risk is the moisture in your ears that lingers after you go into the water. Using a swim cap or earplugs while swimming is a good plan. By doing this your ears and thus your hearing aids will stay nice and dry.
- Open the battery compartment on your hearing aids at night and allow them to air dry. This will help stop the battery from corroding and will decrease damage.
Regularly clean your hearing aids
Moisture and heat can both fuel the growth of bacteria. During the summer particularly, take steps to keep your hearing aids clean. Here are some guidelines:
- Don’t let debris build-up over time. As you’re sanitizing your hearing aids, you can also take the time to clean out any debris that may have built-up. Sooner or later, it’s most likely also a good plan to have your hearing aids professionally cleaned.
- 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 of your dashboard on hot days. Instead, make certain they’re tucked away somewhere dry and cool when you’re not using them.
- Routinely sanitize your hearing aids. Specialized antibacterial wipes are made for this.
Stay active, stay happy, keep hearing
Your hearing aids are designed to accompany you all through your life, and that’s certainly true of the summer season. 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.