Protecting Hearing Aids In The Summer

Summer is a season that most of us look forward to; mainly because it is a time associated with great weather, holidays and relaxation. Usually, summer inspires many to spend a lot of time outdoors participating in various activities. As fun as they may be though, it is important to remember that some of these activities may be harmful to your hearing (e.g. a loud rock festival) and for hearing aids (e.g. spending time in the pool). That is why it is very important to protect both. Hearing aids are not only expensive but also a life changing investment that improves quality of life and communication abilities. Damage to hearing aids is always very frustrating and costly for the wearer and unfortunately, summer is the perfect season to offer plenty of hazards for your hearing devices. That does not mean that you should stay indoors or avoid wearing your hearing aids, only that you need to be careful and take adequate measures to protect them. There are different situations, when you need to be particularly aware of your hearing aids. However, the most common danger is moisture. Summer weather conditions often increase humidity in the atmosphere and warmer temperatures result in greater levels of perspiration. Water is corrosive to the electronics of the hearing devices and should be absolutely avoided, you need to make sure you protect your hearing aid appropriately.

• Swimming – Summer is all about fun around the pool or at the beach. However, it is not recommended to swim with your hearing aids on, unless you have a special waterproof seal for them. Once they get wet, they are highly likely to cease functioning and if not dried immediately may suffer from irreparable damage.
• Perspiration – It is only natural to sweat in the summer, however, excessive perspiration around the ears may get into your hearing aids. It is good to avoid wearing your hair down when it is very hot and to regularly dry any moisture in the area around the ears. In addition, if you perform manual labour outdoors or do exercise, it best to remove your hearing aid and place it in a dry casing.

If your hearing aid has become wet, you should immediately dry it out with a soft tissue, take out the batteries and leave the compartment door open. For maximum results, it is recommended that you use a hearing aid dehumidifier or turn to a specialist for advice. In case you need to keep your hearing aids on in a non-waterproof environment, you can consider water resistant hearing aids such as Aquaris by Siemens or Phonak M H2O series. Besides moisture, you should also make sure that your hearing aids are protected from heat and direct sunlight. Those too can be damaging for both the plastic casing and the electronic parts. It is not advisable to leave your hearing aids in direct sunlight or in the car.