Winter Hearing Aid Tips
The cold weather offers unique challenges for folks who wear hearing aids. The extreme temperature shifts from warm homes and cars into frigid outdoors and vice versa can create functionality issues. Follow these simple winter hearing aid tips all season and keep your devices in top shape!
An Ounce of Prevention
A few extra precautions help ensure winter preparedness. Like Ben Franklin says, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” We suggest you follow these recommendations.
- Stock Up On Batteries
Extreme weather conditions and electronics do not mix well. Further, low temperatures tend to drain battery life quickly. For this reason, the best practice is to store spare batteries at home or storage case/bag.
- Keep Your Ears Warm and Dry
Consider that if your ears are cold, so are your hearing aids. Consequently, these conditions may increase the chance of moisture building up inside your hearing aids. But there is a simple solution. Before you venture outside, wear breathable, moisture-wicking earmuffs, a hat, or a cold-weather headband. Doing so protects your hearing aids from the cold, snow, rain, sleet, and condensation.
- Remove Devices Before Certain Activities
If it is safe to do so, you may consider taking your hearing aids out and storing them somewhere warm, dry, and safe before participating in winter activities. Shoveling, ice skating, skiing, or snowboarding can be strenuous, causing excessive perspiration, which may cause malfunctions. However, avoid storing them in the glove compartment of a car or your pockets, exposing the units to cold temperatures.
- Wipe/Dry Hearing Aids Once Inside Again
Going from the chilly outdoors to the warmth inside your home can create condensation inside hearing aids and the battery compartment. Moreover, both in-the-ear (ITE) and behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids suffer moisture damage. Therefore, it’s vital to care for them once you are back inside. First, wipe your hearing aids down with a clean, soft cloth. Then, open the battery compartment to allow the moisture to evaporate.
- Never Use An Artificial Heat Source
Do not use a hairdryer, oven, radiator, or place your hearing aids near a furnace to dry. This is without a doubt the most important of the winter hearing aid tips. Remember, your devices are intricate pieces of technology. Extreme temperatures will cause damage, even make them melt! Always allow wet hearing aids to dry slowly at room temperature.
Contact the Professionals
If you follow these winter hearing aid tips, and your devices continue malfunctioning, contact your audiologist.
Did you know HASA has a state-of-the-art Hearing Health Clinic? Contact us today at 410-318-6780 or click to make an appointment. Our knowledgeable staff provides complete hearing tests and hearing aid fittings. And we accept both private insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare. The Charitable Care program ensures everyone receives treatment, regardless of their ability to pay. Contact us today and experience the HASA difference!