10 Tips to Protect Your Hearing Aid

Here are 10 tips to keep your hearing aids running at peak performance for years to come. And that means these tips are money savers because you won't have to purchase a replacement if you take care of the gear you've got.

1. Remove your hearing aid at night and open the casing door.
   The biggest enemy of hearing aids is moisture and debris. By opening the casing each night, you allow air to ventilate the interior components and you don't waste battery power while the device sits on the bedside table. Good tip and easy, too.
2. Consider the purchase of a hearing aid dehumidifier.
   If you're prone to heavy sweating or spend time in environments with high humidity, a hearing aid dehumidifier saves you lots of cash long-term.
3. Gently wipe clean the outer part of your hearing aid.
   Ear wax production is a natural, beneficial process, so simply wipe your devices clean with a soft dry cloth and you're done. This will prevent was buildup occurring in the receiver tubing.
4. Keep hearing aids away from extreme heat and cold.
   Don't leave your hearing aid in the hot car while you take a cool dip and try not to climb K2 where temperatures fall to -30 degrees.
5. Don't wear ear gear while applying hair products.
   If you've got your hearing aids in place and decide to spritz a little spray on your flip, some of that material will end up on the microphone of your hearing aids. These mics are tiny but powerful. When clogged with hair spray, mousse, gels and other hair products, your hearing aid may not "hear" as well as it could and will be more susceptible to attracting dirt and debris.
6. Stay out of the pool.
   Yes, there are water resistant hearing aids that'll hold up to the occasional splash in the ear, but these devices don't like getting wet. That means swimming, showers, saunas or just running through the sprinkler, keep your instrument dry.
7. If you wear behind-the-ear units for pizzazz, change the tubing often.
   Behind-the-Ear (BTE) hearing aids rest on the outer portion of the ear. The guts are encased in a small, discreet casing behind the ear in lots of cool colors. Today there are many different varieties of BTEs but typically the unit is connected by a thin, plastic tube either to a custom plastic earmold or to a receiver unit, both which sit inside the ear canal. Those plastic tubes wear out. They get brittle, hard and they crack. Change these BTE tubes as needed.
8. Swap out microphone protectors.
   Hearing aid microphones are delicate, wide-frequency units that require protection. Being set out on the outside of hearing aids, they are subjected to dirt and debris. When clogged, they can't perform the way they are supposed to. Swap out your mic protectors regularly.
9. Keep hearing aids away from children and pets.
   This is pretty obvious. If it's on the ground, it goes in the mouth. Small hearing aids pose a choking hazard and a high-blood pressure alert as you see it chewed to bits by the dog and the grandkids.
10.  Finally, have your ears checked regularly.
    You bet hearing aids are expensive, but consider what they do - and in such a small space. These are quality of life instruments and your hearing needs change so an annual hearing evaluation and a tweak or two on your ear gear will have you hearing your best and enjoying life to the fullest.

So, take care of these hearing tools. It's not hard, it doesn't take long and in the end, you benefit.