What is your favorite summer activity? Whether you enjoy camping, water recreation, or a family cookout, your experience can be enhanced by wearing the right hearing assistance. These devices will help you enjoy what you hear in the environment, but they also make it possible to communicate with your friends and loved ones while taking part in these activities. Enjoying your connections with friends and family are important to these activities, so finding a way to wear your hearing aids while taking part is a top May priority. What can you do to make sure that you are getting the most out of your hearing aids while participating in these activities? The first priority is to find the aids that are suited to your active lifestyle. Many of the latest hearing aid models are resistant to some moisture, debris, and heat in the environment, making them suited to most of the summer activities you love. However, there are still steps you can take to make sure you are not exposing your hearing aids to undue harm. The following are some helpful tips for using your hearing aids in the summer elements, making sure that they serve your needs in the summer and long into the future.
Rain, Moisture, and Humidity
If you are wearing your hearing aids and a rainstorm comes along, your devices are likely to be just fine. If you rush to a dry location or use an umbrella, your hearing aids might avoid exposure to moisture or raindrops, keeping them fully functional. However, what if you are caught in a downpour without protection? Your hearing aids might be exposed to rain water, and that moisture can do damage to the fragile inner components of your aids, including wires and other metal components that can corrode. If you find yourself in a situation like this, the first step is to dry your devices with a clean, soft, absorbent cloth as soon as possible. Wiping any surface moisture from your aids might be enough to prevent damage. However, if your aids are subjected to more moisture exposure or even submerged in water, you might need to take more advanced measures to dry your aids. You can buy a hearing aid dryer on the consumer market, and these tools come in many forms. With most hearing aid dryers, you simply need to place your aids into the dryer overnight and allow the unit to remove moisture from the inner components of your aids. Some people who live in very humid climates find that these devices are useful overnight, helping avoid rust and damage from the environment. Some people have found that placing their hearing aids in a sealed plastic bag of uncooked rice can absorb some of the moisture, as well. If your hearing aids are exposed to serious moisture, then you might want to try this trick before seeking other solutions. Our hearing health professionals are here to help you find a solution, and we can connect you to the manufacturer or a licensed repair technician in the event that your aids are seriously damaged by liquid exposure.
Other Environmental Risks
Liquid is not the only risk to your hearing aids during summer activities. If you bring your hearing aids to the beach or camping, your aids might encounter sand, dirt, or other debris that can be damaging. The first step is to wipe down your hearing aids with a clean, soft, dry cloth. This simple maintenance step might be enough to remove any surface debris that could harm your aids or get into your ears. Extreme heat, such as that encountered in a sunny car, can damage your hearing aids, as well, so take care to place them in a cool location out of the direct sun. With these preventative and maintenance tips in mind, your hearing aids should be able to serve you in a variety of summer activities. However, if you don’t yet have assistance for your hearing, the time is now to contact our hearing health professionals for a hearing exam. We will diagnose your hearing needs and recommend the right assistance that is suited to your active lifestyle, as well.