Acquiring hearing aids is a momentous occasion, so congratulations if you have newly arrived in the world of hearing assistance! When you get your new aids, you might be particularly careful with them, tenderly removing them and placing them in a case or charging station each night. Over time, that conscientious approach might wane, and you might even find yourself tossing your aids into a stack of papers.
As your tenure with hearing aids continues, it is more and more important to take care of them. Most hearing aids require remarkably little care, cleaning, and maintenance, but it is wise to keep a few things in mind. This checklist can help you keep in mind the few things that do need consistent care to keep your hearing aids functional for many years to come.
Battery Maintenance
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when it comes to your hearing aids is to keep the battery fully operational. For those who have replaceable batteries, you might want to write down on a calendar the date when you change the batteries. Over time, you will get a better sense of the lifetime of batteries, given how long you wear your aids each day. It is also wise to get in the habit of carrying replacement batteries with you as much as possible, avoiding the event that they run out of power while you are out and about.
Those who have hearing aids with rechargeable batteries simply need to remember to charge them each night. If you know you will be away from power for an extended time, for instance on a camping trip, you can even get a portable charging unit that has an extra battery pack installed.
Regular Cleaning
Most hearing aids require very little cleaning, but it is a good idea to take a close look at your devices every now and again. When you take a look, you might see waxy buildup on some surfaces or debris that is lodged in some of the cracks and crevices. A clean, dry cloth might be enough to wipe away these substances. If you can see that wax has accumulated in a place that is difficult to reach with your clean cloth, you can buy a cleaning kit that includes a tiny brush and a wire loop. These tools can help remove any substances that have accumulated on the surface. However, you should avoid using any moisture on your devices, and do not open any of the components hoping to clean them out.
Dry & Moisture Free
Now and again, your hearing aids might come in contact with fluids or moisture. If this regrettably occurs, don’t panic. You can wipe down your devices with a dry cloth immediately after they come in contact. You might want to try a common household remedy of placing your hearing aids in a sealed bag of dry rice overnight. The rice has the effect of absorbing the moisture that remains in the inner components of the aids. You can also buy a professional hearing aid dryer to do a more thorough job of drying out the components without causing damage with heat.
Those who live in very humid areas might even want to invest in one of these dryers for nightly storage. If the components of the aids corrode or become rusty, they can short out the electrical connections or inner wires that make them work.
Professional Hearing Aid Care
Beyond these simple care and maintenance tips, you should not need to do much to keep your aids in top working order. If something does go wrong, your first line of recourse should be to contact our offices to see if we can assist. In some cases, a simple solution is available that we can perform in-house. If there is a more complex problem, we might need to send off the aids to a repair technician or the manufacturer.
With any luck, you will be able to get your aids back in fully working order, even if they have become broken or damaged. If a fix is not possible, then we can consult about the right approach to getting you back to the hearing assistance you need.
