When you purchase hearing aids, you are investing in better hearing health. It's important to care for your hearing aids, in order to ensure that your purchase was a "sound investment"! Below is Hearing Beyond's top "Do's and Don'ts" list for caring for your hearing aids.
Do!
1. Keep your hearing aids in it's case when not in use.
In order to avoid loosing your hearing aids, keeping them in a safe, memorable place will prevent you from accidentally misplacing your devices! The best place to keep your hearing aids when they're not in use is inside your case. Most cases have a closing mechanism to keep them secure even if the case falls, and some cases even have dehumidifying materials to keep your hearing aids fresh. Win, win!
2. Wear your hearing aids all waking hours of the day.
You only get the amazing benefits from hearing aids when you wear them. I recommend to wear your hearing aids from when you wake up in the morning to when you go to bed at night: all waking hours. If you feel that you can't accomplish this because your hearing aids are too loud or they don't sound right, then it's time for an adjustment by your audiologist. Have your audiologist adjust the hearing aids to be more appropriately fit for your listening comfort.
3. Keep your hearing aids on it's charging dock when you're not using them.
This one is similar to our #1 tip: If you aren't using your hearing aids, keep them in a safe place. If you're not using your case, keep your hearing aids on it's charger. That way, they will be charged up when you need to use them!
4. Clean and maintain your hearing aids on a regular basis.
Hearing aids require some maintenance and cleaning. Different hearing aids require different types of maintenance. If you have a Behind-the-Ear hearing aid, you will likely need to change the filter and dome. If you have a custom hearing aid, you will likely have to change the filter. Usually, people need to maintain their hearing aids once a month, but this can differ depending on your ear, wax, and the type of hearing aid you have. Visit your audiologist to find out how to clean and maintain your hearing aids.
5. Back ups, Back ups, Back ups!
If your hearing aids run on disposable batteries, it is a good idea to keep a pair of new, spare batteries, in the event your hearing aid runs out of battery power. Also, if you have a spare set of older hearing aids, keep the clean and ready to go, in the event anything happens to your new hearing aids.
Don't!
1. Never store your hearing aids inside a napkin.
I always remind my patients to never leave their hearing aids on a napkin. Napkins are often thrown away, and if you wrap your hearing aids up in a napkin when not in use, they'll likely be thrown away too! Remember to keep your hearing aids in the case, or on it's charger.
2. Don't sleep with your hearing aids on.
Give your ears a rest at night. Sleeping with your hearing aids can also cause some discomfort for your ears and can make the hearing aids whistle.
3. Don't swim or shower with your hearing aids on.
Modern hearing aids usually come with an IP68 rating, which means that in testing trials, the devices have survived continuous immersion in 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes. In practical terms, if a hearing aid comes in contact with moisture for a short amount of time, it's water resistant capabilities will likely protect it. However, long-term moisture exposure will definitely damage a hearing aid. Therefore, it's not safe to shower or swim with your hearing aids.
4. Don't wear your hearing aids around loud machinery or in very loud situations.
In a very loud environment, it's important to protect your ears! For loud levels of sound, it is recommended to wear hearing protection like ear plugs or hearing protective ear muffs. You can even get custom fit ear protection to keep your ears safe and also feel comfortable.
5. Don't wear your hearing aids if you have significant ear pain.
If your ears hurt, or you think you may have an infection, don't wear your hearing aids. You should consult your doctor or audiologist immediately if you experience ear pain!
That is our Top Do's and Don'ts list for taking care of your hearing aids. Remember to take care of your hearing aids!