Water has always been one of the chief enemies of hearing aids. When you combine that with dirt, grime, sweat, and sunscreen while tanning on the shore or boating on the lake, the results can be devastating.
Each of these substances can sneak its way into the inner components of your hearing device and greatly reduce the quality of what you can hear. Worst case – it could make your hearing aid stop functioning entirely.
Protect your investment with these guidelines for handling your hearing instruments when you go out to enjoy the water.
1. Leave Your Aids at Home-If your hearing loss is not very severe, you may want to just leave your aids at home before going out to adventure on the water. That way, they are in a safe, temperature-controlled setting.
This also will give you ease of mind knowing that you have avoided all of the dangers your devices face out on the water. If that’s not an option for you, try these other tips to keep them safe.
2. Take a Waterproof Container-Unless recommended by your provider or the manufacturer, you won’t want to leave the aid in while you swim. You’ll need to take out the aids and put them in a waterproof container (such as Tupperware) before you get in the water.
This container will protect them as you leave them on the bank or in a safe catty on the boat. Keeping dirt and water from making their way into the hearing aids while they are out of your ears is always a good idea. Also don’t leave hearing aids in your car, where the extreme heat can damage them.
3.Always Play it Safe-If you become aware that your ears are getting sweaty or that the kids playing near you are tossing mud and rocks into the air, go ahead and remove your aids before any damage takes place. Once you get home, make sure to clean the hearing aids and put them in their dehumidifier to get rid of any remaining moisture so there isn’t any long-term damage.
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