How To Care For Your Hearing Aids

Getting hearing aids can be life-changing when you have hearing loss. However, hearing aids can be delicate things. If you’re not careful with them, you could damage them. If your hearing aids aren’t working, it can leave you at a loss, so it’s important to take care of them properly. There are multiple steps you can take to care for your hearing aids and ensure they last for a long time. With a little care and attention, you can protect your hearing aids and keep them functional.

Gently Clean Your Hearing Aids

Hearing aids can become dirty over time as you wear them. They can get earwax on them, as well as pick up other dust and dirt. Fortunately, it’s easy to keep them clean, and they only need to be gently cleaned. Cleaning your hearing aids every day will help to keep them functional, but you don’t need to spend a long time cleaning them. A quick wipe with a soft, dry cloth should remove any excess wax or other debris. Make sure to keep your hearing aids dry when you clean them.

Change Tubes or Filters

If you have behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids, you will need to change the tubing every six months or so. Your audiologist can show you how to do this or you can check the instruction manual for your hearing aids. If you have in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids, they will have a filter system to help prevent wax from getting into them. This filter system needs to be changed regularly to keep it working properly. Your audiologist can show you how or your hearing aid manual should provide instructions too. You can also use a soft brush to remove earwax and one will often be included with your hearing aids.

Store Your Hearing Aids Correctly

You can’t wear your hearing aids all the time and will especially need to remove them when sleeping or showering or bathing. It’s important to store them safely when you’re not wearing them to protect them. If they have a case, you should use it to protect them. Your hearing aids should be stored somewhere clean and dry to prevent moisture from getting into them. They should be stored somewhere that’s not too hot or too cold to prevent them from being affected by temperature changes.

Change the Batteries

Battery care is an important part of taking care of your hearing aids. If you have rechargeable batteries, you will need to remember to charge your hearing aids regularly. Most people will charge their hearing aids while they’re sleeping. But if you have to change the batteries, it’s always a good idea to have some spare batteries and to care for them. Make sure you know what size batteries you need and keep them in a cool and dry place. You can gently clean the battery contacts and battery compartment when you change your batteries to ensure everything is clean and functional.

Handle with Care

Of course, it’s always important to handle your hearing aids gently. Be aware of where they are if you’re not currently wearing them, putting them somewhere safe to prevent damage. Keep them away from children or pets, who could damage them accidentally. Be gentle with your hearing aids if you are cleaning them, changing the batteries, adjusting settings or doing any other maintenance. It’s also important to make sure you know how to use your hearing aids so that you don’t accidentally damage them while using them.

Take Your Hearing Aids for Repairs

Sometimes your hearing aids might need repairs. Before you take them to be fixed, there are some troubleshooting steps that you could take. Depending on what the problem is, you can run through a few easy fixes such as cleaning your hearing aids or checking the volume. However, if you can’t work out what the problem is at home, you might need to take your hearing aids for repairs. A professional hearing aid repair service will make repairs for you so that your hearing aids can survive another day.

It’s important to know when you need help to repair your hearing aids. If you try to do it yourself, you could end up making any problems worse. When you’re having a problem with your hearing aids and can’t work out what it is, get help from an audiologist to make the repairs. Find out more about how to care for your hearing aids from our friendly and professional team at Hearing Professionals of Alabama. Call our Auburn office at (334) 539-5335 or our Montgomery office at (334) 557-8930.