Extend the Life of your Hearing Aid

You thought long and hard and bought a hearing aid based on your needs rather than price. This represents an investment in your hearing health and it is a decision for which you want to get the best value. This means keeping the device in good working order for as long as possible.

Think of your hearing aid in the same terms you would a luxury car. If you want the best performance, you wouldn’t overlook the oil changes or drive it with bald tires. Keeping any high-performance equipment in superb condition is crucial to getting the best out of it.

Read the Manual

When you are fitted with your hearing device, there is a lot of information to remember, but do ask about routine cleaning and care. Also, when you get home, read the manual, which gives invaluable advice about how best to care for your individual model of hearing aid. If you’ve had your device a while and have misplaced the instructions, ask your audiologist for a copy.

Take special note of recommendations as to how often to replace component parts, such as the tubing, microphone covers and wax guards. One useful tip is to make notes in your calendar so that you don’t forget when these changes should occur.

Protect the Hearing Aid

Hearing devices are delicate electronics, and exposure to extremes of temperature, dust, grit, or moisture can cause damage. Something to be especially careful about is humidity, which can interfere with the function of the electronic circuitry or the tubing of the ear piece.
One option is to open the device’s casing door after each day’s use and leave it in a dry place to air out; the kitchen and bathrooms are not suitable!

A better option is to consider buying a hearing aid de-humidifier. These are generally inexpensive and easy to use. You simply place the hearing aid into the cup or device and replace the lid.

Battery Life

Regularly running a hearing aid on low battery does the device no favors and can shorten its useful life. Always change the battery promptly when it starts to fail. To conserve battery power, switching it off at night and any time you are not using it, which also has the added benefit of letting the electrical components take a break and cool down.

Personal Grooming

Never spray perfume, deodorant or hairspray near the hearing device. Take care never to spray aerosols when wearing the device. Do your personal grooming first, and then put on the device.

Some general care as you go along will increase the longevity of your device. Investing a little time into looking after the details will reward you in the long run.