You have a lively summer planned. Some beach time and lots of swimming for sure. You’ll take in some live entertainment, you’ll get plenty of exercise jogging or perhaps playing some tennis, then it’s time to hit the grill. You’ll be busy! So it’s important that your hearing aids are prepared.
Summer activities like these can be tough on your hearing aids, but these little useful devices can be protected without it halting your summer fun.
Summertime hearing aid challenges
Every season is going to present unique challenges with regards to your hearing aids. Climate and weather are the biggest challenges in the summer.
Here are some summer related obstacles:
- Dirt and debris: You’re active during the summer. But when you hit the beach, there’s a good possibility you could get some sand inside of your hearing aid, and that may cause issues.
- Moisture: Whether it’s from humidity, swimming, rain, or just sweat, moisture is just about always present in the summer. That’s a problem because moisture can be a huge issue for hearing aids.
- Wind: Your hearing aids can be pushed and pulled around by the wind if it’s powerful enough. Depending on the climate, strong winds can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aid.
For the most part, it’s pretty obvious why these issues are more common during the summer months: you spend more time outdoors. And you’re more likely to encounter a surprise rain storm or a powerful wind when you’re outdoors so often.
Keeping your hearing aids at peak performance through the summer
Your hearing aids are made to allow you to do more, to improve your quality of life. So throughout the summer, most people want to wear their hearing aids as frequently as they can. This means taking a few extra steps to care for the technology and ensure your hearing aids keep working.
Keeping your hearing aids dry
Water will wreak havoc on electronics and the more advanced the electronics, the worse the potential damage. Protect against moisture with these tips:
- When you’re doing something that will cause you to sweat, wear a sweatband. This will help keep sweat out of your ears (and far from your hearing aids).
- Have a microfiber towel handy. That way, you can dry your hearing aids throughout the day. This stops moisture from accumulating when you aren’t watching.
- Air dry your hearing aids at night by opening the battery compartment. This will help stop the battery from corroding and will decrease damage.
- Thoroughly dry your ears. Drying your ears thoroughly will help avoid the accidental transference of moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
- Don’t bring your hearing aids in the water. Going for a swim? 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 concern. 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.
Take steps to keep your hearing aids clean
The growth of bacteria is fueled by moisture and heat. So you should also do a few things to ensure your hearing aids are staying clean during the summer months. Here are some guidelines:
- Disinfect your hearing aids regularly. This can be done with specially made antibacterial and disinfectant wipes.
- Watch for the long-term build-up of debris. You can take a little time to remove any debris on your hearing aids while you disinfect them. Sooner or later, it’s most likely also a good idea to have your hearing aids professionally cleaned.
- Store your hearing aids in a dry, cool place. Hearing aids, as a rule, don’t handle direct sunlight very well. So keep them off your dashboard when it’s hot. Instead, make sure they’re tucked away somewhere cool and dry when you aren’t wearing them.
Be happy, stay active, hear well
Your hearing aids will help you for a lifetime and they will enhance your summer months especially. So whether you’re planning on swimming in the lake, hiking up a mountain, or taking a stroll around the neighborhood, there’s a way to ensure your hearing aids remain dry and keep working.