It's Hot Outside — Do Your Hearing Aids Need More Care?

As the weather changes, you might wonder if your hearing aids requires additional care. After all, if you are hot then your hearing aids are also probably getting pretty warm too. Plus, your body heat can impact your hearing devices as you heat up in the sun. This guide will help you ensure you take care of your hearing aids in the hot weather.

Hearing Aids May Require Additional Attention

When you go out into the heat, you may sweat more. Sweat can combine with ear wax and other debris to clog your ears or get into the small holes in your aids. As a result, you may need to clean your hearing aids more often than in the colder months.

Sweat is a big problem for hearing aids, especially because the excess moisture from your sweat can enter the device, as can humid air floating around you. If you live in an area where it is humid, you may want a dehumidifier near the area where you store your devices when you do not use them.

Summertime also means you might use bug repellents and sunblock more often than usual. So pay close attention to the way you apply those materials. For example, using spray sunblock on your face or shoulders means your device may get wet.

Hearing Aids Require Safe Storage

Your device may overheat when it is out in the intense heat all summer. The computer chip inside your hearing aids is susceptible to damage caused by the heat. If possible, stay inside as the weather heats up midday to prevent the circuit breaking from the heat.

Keep in mind that the circuit inside your hearing aid can break when you are not wearing it and it is not in use. For example, you might take your device off to take a dip in the lake, but your device is left under the hot rays of the sun in the meantime.

The sun is not the only culprit for damaging hearing aids in the summer. Other types of materials that contain small particles, like sand and dirt, also make their way into your hearing aids and wreak havoc.

Hearing Aid Components Can Melt

You may have to be outside, however. In this situation, try to keep your ears out of the direct sunlight where the sun can damage your device because hearing aids and other similar devices have components the sun can actually melt, including the battery. Pay close attention to your device if you feel the sun beating down on your face, and keep in mind that the shade from a hat or your hair may be useful to prevent this issue.

Remember, even if you do not feel the outside of the device melting, something could still be wrong.

Hearing Aids May Require Replacement

If you have had your hearing aid for a while and you can see that something is not quite right, a professional should look at your hearing aid to determine if something is malfunctioning.

Additionally, bring your hearing aid to a professional as soon as possible if you suspect it has gotten wet or if you think something may be broken inside. A professional may be able to remedy the problem if not much time has passed.

Accurate Hearing Technology is locally-owned and operated in Sanford. We offer a variety of hearing devices, ranging from hearing aids to swim plugs. Our licensed and certified professionals are ready to help you through the process of finding appliances that meet your needs. Call us today, and we’ll help you find the right device for your needs.