You made a great investment in your health when you purchased those new hearing aids. So first, congratulations! But don’t rest on your laurels… living your best life involves a little upkeep sometimes. With that in mind, we want to share some hot tips on keeping your hearing aids in good working order. After all, we’re sure you have better things to spend your hard-earned dollars on than replacing your hearing aids more than necessary.
If you purchased your hearing aids from an audiology clinic, your hearing specialist’s will have imparted some advice on their care and maintenance. This is a good place to start in protecting your investment. Your hearing aid is a complex piece of technology and, like a car, you’ll get the maximum lifespan if you care for it as per the manufacturer’s instructions. This can reduce the number of repairs they’ll need during their lifetime, while extending the number of years you get out of them.
Another smart way to get a good innings out of your hearing aids involves safe storage. Have you got a designated safe, dry place to keep yours overnight? Think about somewhere which is clear of water and moisture – not your bathroom or kitchen – and out of the reach of children and animals. Accidental knocks and drops onto hard surfaces can be damaging to the delicate circuitry inside.
Even if you’re currently keeping your hearing aids in a nice dry place at night, you can take their care to the next level. Here’s why this a good idea. The ear canal is by nature, warm and waxy. It’s normal for moisture and debris to build up in the hearing aid while you’re wearing it. Humidity, sweat and even living in coastal regions can up the potential for damage. When this build-up reaches peak levels, your hearing aids will begin to malfunction, meaning annoying downtime while they’re being repaired. And likely parting with some cash. But there’s actually a really simple solution - a dehumidifying and drying storage box. These devices do the hard yards while you’re asleep to safely remove moisture from your devices.
Hearing aid dehumidifiers and dryers are relatively inexpensive and there are many types. Some you need to plug in while others operate using a moisture-absorbing gel or desiccant. Electronic versions usually offer extra features, like sanitising or timers. You can even get boxes big enough to fit multiple pairs. They range in prices too, but even the models at the high-end of the scale wouldn’t set you back more than the average pair of shoes.
Your local audiology clinic will be able to help you determine the right one for your needs based on what style hearing aids you use. The dryers work best if you gently remove any visible wax or debris with a soft clean cloth, or as per the manufacturer’s advice. Then, you simply open the battery door and pop the hearing aids in. Air will circulate through the device and dry up any rogue moisture.
So there you have it. A hearing aid dryer and dehumidifier is a super simple way to keep your hearing aids in great shape and save you money in the long run. The only difficult part is remembering to put your hearing aids inside your new storage box each night!
Ask your audiology expert about the right hearing aid dryer for you. Read more tips on how to take care of your hearing aids.