Hearing aids are hugely important to anyone who needs to use them, and therefore you will need to take good care of them – misusing them or neglecting them can cause them to break down and need repair or even replacement. At best they will stop working as well as they once did. Here are some tips for taking care of your hearing aids to get the very best out of them.
1 – Beware of Dirt
Hearing aids are sensitive pieces of equipment, and the microphone can easily become damaged or clogged up with dust and dirt. Although sometimes this can’t be helped (which is why you should regularly clean your hearing aid anyway), you can help the situation by not touching the hearing aid unless you have to, and when you do ensuring that your hands are clean and dry.
2 – Keep Them Dry
Moisture can cause a lot of damage to your hearing aids, and there are some simple rules to remember when it comes to keeping them dry and working properly. Remember to remove your aids every time you have a bath or shower, or when you go swimming, for example. And don’t leave them somewhere steamy where the air is full of moisture as they will get this way too. Instead, keep them somewhere safe and dry.
If your hearing aids do get wet, open up the battery compartment and remove the battery, then leave everything to dry out by itself. If this doesn’t help, you will need to speak to an expert about repairs.
3 – Store Them Safely
You won’t want to wear your hearing aids all the time, so when you remove them you’ll need to have somewhere safe to store them. This needs to be somewhere clean and dry, and it should definitely be out of reach of children and pets. Switch them off too; some dogs are affected by a high frequency sound that the hearing aids emit when they are still activated.
4 – Hairspray and Make Up
If you use hairspray and make up, remove your hearing aid before you start to put it on. The dust and fine particles from these products can stick to the hearing aid and clog up the microphone or make the volume control difficult to use.
5 – Clean As Instructed
When you first get your hearing aid, you should be given instructions on exactly how to keep them clean, or to clean them if they need it. If not, ask – you’ll need to have this information to hand. One of the key things to remember is to use a dry, clean cloth and to never use cleaning products or alcohol or solvents.
