You’re planning a very active summer. You’re certainly going to hit the beach and maybe take a swim. You’ll take in some live entertainment, you’ll get plenty of exercise jogging or maybe playing some tennis, then it’s time to hit the grill. Your schedule will be rather full. So it’s essential that your hearing aids are ready.
Summer activities such as these can be hard on your hearing aids, but these little helpful devices can be protected without it slowing your summer fun.
Difficulties of hearing aids in the summer
With hearing aids, each season will come with distinctive obstacles. Climate and weather are the leading obstacles during the summer.
Summer-related obstacles may include:
- Wind: A powerful enough wind can jerk and pull at your hearing aids. Depending on the climate, powerful winds can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aid.
- Debris, sand and dirt: You’re active in the summer. But sand in your hearing aid, like beach sand, can result in problems.
- Moisture: Whether it’s from swimming, humidity, rain, or just sweat, moisture is nearly always present during the summer. That’s a problem because moisture can be a major issue for hearing aids.
Part of the reason why these problems are more common during the summer is self-evident: you tend to be outside more. And when you spend more time outside, you’re more likely to experience a strong gust of wind or a sudden rainstorm.
How to keep your hearing aids in good working order all summer
Your hearing aids are made to make it possible for you to do more, to enhance your quality of life. So throughout the summer, most people want to wear their hearing aids as frequently as possible. Taking care of your hearing aids by taking a few extra steps can make that happen.
Take actions to keep your hearing aids dry
Water will damage electronics and the more advanced the electronics, the worse the possible damage. Keep moisture at bay with these tips:
- Have a microfiber towel nearby. You can use this to periodically dry your hearing aids. This stops wetness from building up when you aren’t paying attention.
- Don’t go swimming while wearing your hearing aids. Beach day? Nice! Just remove your hearing aids first. Obviously, this is common sense. So the real risk is the wetness in your ears that remains after you go into the water. Wearing a swim cap or earplugs while swimming is a smart idea. By doing this your ears and thus your hearing aids will remain quite dry.
- When you’re performing an activity that will cause you to sweat, use a sweatband. Your hearing aids will stay quite dry because sweat can’t get to them.
- Dry your ears thoroughly. Make sure you aren’t accidentally transferring moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
- Air dry your hearing aids at night by opening the battery compartment. This will help counter damage caused by corrosion of the battery.
Routinely clean your hearing aids
Moisture and heat can both fuel the growth of bacteria. So you should also do a few things to ensure your hearing aids are staying clean during the summer months. Here are some guidelines:
- Don’t let debris accumulate over time. As you’re sanitizing your hearing aids, you can also take the time to clear away any debris that might have built-up. Occasionally, a professional cleaning is necessary.
- Store your hearing aids in a place that’s dry and cool. Hearing aids, as a rule, don’t do well in the direct sunlight. So keep them off your dashboard on hot days. Instead, make certain they’re nestled away somewhere cool and dry when you aren’t using them.
- Routinely disinfect your hearing aids. You can do this with specially made antibacterial and disinfectant wipes.
Be happy, remain active, hear well
Your hearing aids are designed to help you all through your life, and that’s definitely true of the summer months. You can keep your hearing aids dry and in good working order whether you’re hiking, swimming, or simply taking an evening stroll around your neighborhood.