You’re planning a very active summer. Some beach time and lots of swimming for sure. You’ll enjoy some live entertainment, you’ll get plenty of exercise jogging or perhaps playing some tennis, then it’s time to get to the grill. Your schedule will be rather full. So it’s crucial that your hearing aids are prepared.
Summer activities such as these can be hard on your hearing aids, but these little helpful devices can be safeguarded without it slowing your summer fun.
Summer hearing aid obstacles
With hearing aids, every season will have unique obstacles. Climate and weather are the biggest obstacles in the summer.
Summer-related challenges could include:
- Wind: Your hearing aids can be pushed and pulled around by the wind if it’s strong enough. And if you’re in a particularly dry climate, wind can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aids.
- Debris, sand and dirt: You’re active in the summer. But when you go to the beach, there’s a good chance you may get some sand inside of your hearing aid, and that may cause problems.
- Moisture: Whether it’s from swimming, humidity, rain, or simply sweat, moisture is just about always present during the summer. Moisture can be harmful to hearing aids so that can present a problem.
For the most part, it’s quite apparent why these issues are more prevalent in the summer months: you spend more time outdoors. And you’re more likely to encounter a sudden rain storm or a powerful wind when you’re outdoors so often.
How to keep your hearing aids working great all summer
Your hearing aids are manufactured to allow you to do more, to improve your quality of life. Most people who wear hearing aids will want to use them as much as possible, especially during the summer. Taking care of your hearing aids by taking some additional steps can make that happen.
Take actions to keep your hearing aids dry
Water will damage electronics and the more advanced the electronics, the worse the possible damage. Keep moisture at bay with these tips:
- Open the battery compartment on your hearing aids at night and let them air dry. This will help stop the battery from corroding and will prevent damage.
- Use a sweatband when you’re exercising. This will help keep moisture out of your ears (and far from your hearing aids).
- Don’t wear your hearing aids in the water. Beach day? Nice! Just take out your hearing aids first. Obviously, this is common sense. So the real danger is the wetness in your ears that remains after you go swimming. That’s why you should start thinking about using a swim cap and earplugs when you go in the water. This can help keep your ears (and thus your hearing aids) nice and dry.
- Dry your ears thoroughly. Drying your ears totally will help avoid the accidental transfer of moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
- Keep a microfiber towel nearby. You can use this to routinely dry your hearing aids. In this way, you can avoid the accumulation of wetness.
Take steps to keep your hearing aids clean
Heat and moisture can both fuel the growth of bacteria. So you should also take a few steps to make sure your hearing aids are remaining clean over the summer months. Here are some guidelines:
- Watch out for the long-term accumulation of debris. You can take a little time to get rid of any debris on your hearing aids while you disinfect them. Sometimes, a professional cleaning is necessary.
- Routinely sanitize your hearing aids. This can be done with specially made antibacterial and disinfectant wipes.
- Store your hearing aids in a place that’s dry and cool. Hearing aids, as a rule, don’t do well in the direct sunlight. So keep them off your dashboard when it’s hot. Alternatively, when you’re not wearing them, store your hearing aids in a dry, cool place.
Stay active, remain happy, keep hearing
Your hearing aids are made to help you throughout your life, and that’s certainly true of the summer months. There’s a way to keep your hearing aids dry and in good working order whether you’re hiking, swimming, or just taking an evening stroll around your neighborhood.