Summer is finally here — we want you to hear it!

At Beltone Tristate, we’re lovers of all sorts of weather, but I think we can agree that summer is really something special. School is out, we’re celebrating our independence, and we’re taking advantage of every opportunity to safely soak in the sun. 

 

If you’re someone who wears hearing aids, you might be tempted to be a little more cautious or hold yourself back from participating in certain activities. Here’s what we’ll say about that: In general, you do need to be a little more aware that your activities may affect your hearing technology. 

 

After all, your hearing aids are essentially miniature but powerful computers, and like any other electronic devices, they’re susceptible to damage in certain situations. You need to be careful, but you don’t need to hold yourself back from enjoying your summer. Here are some things to consider so that you can have a most enjoyable summer. 

Keep your hearing aids dry

For many of us, the summer season is a water-filled one. Boating, swimming, and, well, let’s be honest, just a little bit of heat-fueled sweat makes these months filled with all sorts of moisture.

 

Of course, your hearing aids are susceptible to this moisture. While some Beltone hearing aids come with a hydrophobic nano-coating — in layperson’s terms, a coating designed to repel moisture from the devices — this does not mean that they are waterproof. If water gets inside your hearing aids, it could cause permanent damage to your technology. 

 

Here a few things to consider when being around water while wearing hearing aids:

• Bring a small waterproof container with you — if you plan on going swimming or participating in an activity where you’re bound to get wet, we’d recommend placing your hearing aids into a small, sealable container where your devices can be safe from getting water in them until you’re finished with that activity. Don’t forget where you’ve put the container, and make sure that you’re putting the container itself in a safe place so that you don’t lose your devices!
• Consider investing in a dehumidifier — Dehumidifiers are great solutions for removing excess moisture from day-to-day use from your hearing aids. Note that these aren’t specifically designed for folks who have accidentally dropped their devices into the lake, but they are the perfect solution for keeping your devices clean and dry, and can be conveniently used on your devices while you are sleeping. 
• Now, in the instance that you did drop your hearing aids into a body of water, don’t panic.  Most Beltone hearing aids’ protectant will  we’d still recommend trying your dehumidifier. Remove any excess water. Remove the battery. Keep the battery door open. Place in the dehumidifier for at least a day or two. You just might get lucky! If not, bring them into the practice, and we’ll be happy to take a look for you. We’ll do our best to help you out. 

Keep your hearing aids clean

One of the most important ways to keep your hearing aids performing their best is to clean them clean. In the summer, buildup from dirt, sweat, sunscreen, and other environmental hazards can potentially get inside your devices, causing them to work in a sub-par manner. 

 

We always encourage our patients to clean their devices regularly — and regularly can mean a lot of different things depending on the wearer, how much they sweat, how much earwax they produce, etc. — and we always encourage them to clean their devices just a little bit more frequently during the summer months. 

 

You should consider cleaning your devices every night before you go to bed, carefully examining them, wiping them down with a microfiber cloth, and removing any wax or buildup from the domes or earmolds, the tubing, and anywhere else that debris might make its way into the device, like the receivers or microphones. 

 

When you were first fitted with your hearing aids, your provider should have given you a cleaning kit and showed you how to properly clean your technology at home. If you are in need of a new kit or would like a refresher on how to best clean your hearing aids between professional cleanings here at the practice, give us a call! We’d love to help you. Time for a professional cleaning? We’d love to help with that, too. 

 

Want to learn more about how you can make the most of your hearing aid summer? Contact Beltone Tristate TODAY for your consultation. We can’t wait to see you!