Being Hearing-Aid Smart When You’re Out and About

A good pair of hearing aids can help you improve your ability to hear and interface with the world in all kinds of settings. It can have a much bigger impact on quality of life than many might assume, initially, making you more social, confident, and eager to spend time in the great outdoors. However, while you are out there, you should also be a little more mindful of how to protect them from damage. Risks are a little more frequent outdoors, so it’s wise to take steps to mitigate them.
  

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Get Out Of The Heavy Rain

First and foremost, always be mindful of the risk that moisture poses. If water manages to infiltrate your hearing aids, it can cause faults in those delicate electronic components. You can buy hearing aids with water-resistant or waterproof features, such as strong seals and coatings against water, but all of these have their limits, so wearing them in heavy rainfall or even stormy weather can lead to damage, sometimes permanently. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and bring an umbrella or a rain cap to shield your ears if it starts to get wet. In situations where the rain gets even more intense, you should head indoors or even store your hearing aids in their case until it dries out.

Be Mindful Of The Heat

Rain isn’t the only environmental danger that can affect your hearing aids. Direct sunlight and high temperatures can affect its components, as well, such as warping the casing or overheating the circuits, causing them to cut out. Typically, this happens when they’re directly exposed to sunlight, so don’t leave them lying in the car, and if it’s a day with very sunny wear, consider wearing a hat that provides a little shade for your ears. Keeping aids cool in hot weather isn’t too difficult, and you can always put them in their case and out of sight if needed. It’s just important to recognize when the sun is getting too strong.

Don’t Let The Cold Shortchange You

Cold weather typically isn’t quite as serious a risk as hot weather, but it can still be a bother. In most cases, it causes your battery to drain faster, which means that you might want to carry some spares if you’re out during the winter. Extremely cold temperatures can even cause it to shut off unexpectedly, so keeping wrapped up in a warm hat can help. A slightly more serious risk is the condensation that can build up when you move from a cold environment to a warm one. When you do that, take the devices out of your ears and dry them off, either with a cloth or keep them in a dehumidifier until your temperature equalizes.

Don’t Drop Your Devices

Handling your hearing aids always requires some care. Given the delicate nature of the technology inside, it doesn’t have to even be a big fall for them to sustain damage. Impacts can cause components to fall out of alignment or the casing to crack, which can leave the interior more vulnerable to dirt, earwax, and moisture. Damage can be made even worse by outdoor surfaces like pavement and concrete. If you have to remove your devices, try to do it over a soft surface like grass or a cloth. If you’re running or moving fast, using a pair of hearing aid retainers can ensure that they remain in place. If you’re not using them, be sure to keep them in a carrying case at all times, too.

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