Hearing aids are powerful and quite durable. Just like any other technological device, they also require a bit of care and maintenance in order to continue working at full efficacy for years to come. There are many steps that patients can take at home to properly care for their hearing aids, and of course also many steps that hearing health care professionals can also take to help ensure that hearing aids are well taken care of and well maintained.
Caring for hearing aids at home
Clean your hearing aids. It is important to clean your hearing aids often. Each evening before going to sleep, you should wipe your hearing aids with a clean, dry, microfiber cloth that is used only for this purpose. At least once a week, it is also important to clean your hearing aids more thoroughly. You can invest in an affordable hearing aid cleaning kit that will come with a pick and a brush. Use these tools to remove excess ear wax buildup in the nooks and crannies of your hearing aid. Remember to never attempt to use any type of foreign devices such as a pen or safety pin to clean your hearing aids. If you are having difficulty with any part of the cleaning process, reach out to your hearing health care professional for assistance.
Keep your hearing aids dry. Be sure to remove your hearing aids before taking a shower, and leave the aids outside of the bathroom to avoid moisture from the steam. You can also keep the battery door open overnight to help promote evaporation overnight or even purchase a dehumidifier for your aids.
Keep your hearing aids safe. On top of keeping your hearing aids clean and dry, it is also important to keep your aids safe. When getting ready in the morning, avoid putting your hearing aids in until you are fully ready. Face creams, makeup, and other sprays and aerosols such as perfume or cologne can be damaging to hearing aids and it is best to use all of these products before wearing your hearing aids. You should also keep your hearing aids in the same place each time you take them out, and ensure that this is a place safe from curious children or pets.
When in doubt, reach out. If you are having trouble cleaning your hearing aids or are unsure of the best way to care for your devices, do not attempt to guess! Instead, reach out to your hearing health care provider for advice and support on how you can best care for your aids and ensure that they work effectively for years to come.
Caring for hearing aids with your hearing health care professional
It is imperative that you keep all of your follow-up and check-in appointments with your audiologist or hearing health care professional. These appointments are precisely scheduled to ensure that your hearing aids continue to work properly and to meet your unique and specific needs. At these follow-up appointments, your hearing provider will likely finely-tune and adjust the settings on your hearing aids to ensure that they are still specifically set up to match your specific needs and sharing profile. If there are specific environments where your hearing aids are not working as well as you would like them to, you and your audiologist will also discuss how to remedy these types of situations.
On top of the fine tuning and setting of your hearing aids, your hearing health care professional will likely also check the physical well-being of your hearing aids. Your provider will likely professionally clean your hearing aid and rid it of buildup of excess earwax and other debris.
Your hearing health care professional may even dry your hearing aids using a professional grade dryer like the ones manufactured by Redux. A Redux dryer will safely and effectively dry your hearing aids in just a few minutes using patented technology. These dryers are able to ensure that all moisture that may be trapped in the device to safely evaporate, while still ensuring that the temperature is nowhere near high enough to damage the aids.
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