Hearing aids can cost a lot, so it is only reasonable that you take good care of them. Here are some tips to take care of your hearing aid.
- Avoid exposing them to heat and humidity. Thus don’t leave them inside a parked car under the heat of the sun or near heaters, ovens and other household appliances that emit extreme heat.
- If there’s moisture in the batteries, wipe them dry as it can affect their performance. You can use an anti-humidity kit to avoid performance problems and even extend the life of the hearing aid.
- Clean away accumulated wax daily. Ear canal produces ear wax that may clog up the ear piece. It is one of the main causes of performance issues in in-the-ear and receiver-in-the-ear hearing aids. This also explains why most ITE and RITE hearing aids have a filter or device that prevents the wax from entering the apparatus.
- Moisture can also damage your hearing aids. Remove them before showering or swimming. Don’t leave them in the bathroom or shower. And make it a habit to dry perspiration inside and around your ears.
- Perform listening checks regularly. Use a listening tube to make sure that the device sounds clear and not scratchy. You can ask your audiologist how to check for intermittency and internal feedback.
- When you are not to use the hearing aid for a long period, open its battery door fully so that air can circulate. You can also use a special drying kit for this purpose.
- Keep your hearing aid away from children and pets so that these won’t get damaged in any way. Doing so also ensures that your kids and pets won’t get hurt in any way. Small children may swallow batteries of hearing aids. Removed but not deactivated hearing devices can emit high sounds that may be harmful to dogs.
- Avoid direct contact with chemicals as these can damage the hearing aid. Thus, keep cosmetics, perfume, hairspray, and lotion away from your hearing device. Remove the hearing aid before you apply such products on your skin.
- Keep your hearing aids over a soft surface to prevent damage just in case you drop them.
- Don’t attempt to repair a defective hearing aid. The technology used in hearing aids is very sensitive that these can be damaged through improper handling. Leave repairs to a professional.
If you think you need a hearing aid, make sure that you get a formal hearing test & assessment before hearing aid prescription. For more details, please contact HK Hearing & Speech Centre.
Source:
HK Hearing & Speech Centre
Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,
and Hearing Aid Prescription
https://www.hkhearingspeech.com