Keep your Hearing Device Healthy

How do you get the best value out of your hearing aid?

You’ve invested in a high quality piece of precision technology that is a hearing device. A modern hearing device is miniaturized marvel which can represent a considerable financial investment. To get the most out of that investment means getting years of use out of the device, so that the cost per use comes tumbling down.

Your hearing device is just like a high performance car. In order to get the best out of it in terms of responsiveness and longevity, it needs TLC and maintenance. For your hearing device this means performing some basic cleaning at home, plus a professional clean once or twice a year.

Professional Cleaning

Many audiologists offer hearing aid cleaning as a walk-in service, so don’t be bashful about dropping by. Your audiologist uses a special miniature vacuum cleaner and has the ability to clean the delicate tubing, microphone screens, filters and receivers that are so important for a clear listening experience.

Home Help

Basic maintenance at home includes avoiding contamination with moisture or products, and a regular night-time clean.

• Keep spray products away from your device. When getting ready in the morning set a routine where the final step is putting in your hearing aid. This is to keep it away from aerosols such as deodorant, hairspray, or perfume. Also it avoids splashing it with water when getting washed first thing.
• Daily clean up. At the end of the day use a special wipe (alcohol-free, supplied by your audiologist) to clean the device. Also, equip yourself with a special brush and pick to remove ear wax buildup from the end of the device where the sound comes out. You want to avoid wax accumulating in the receiver or microphone, since this will deaden the sound or cause howl feedback.

Have your audiologist give you a demonstration of how to clean the device; techniques vary depending on whether you have a model designed to sit within the ear canal or behind it.

Dehumidify to Prolong Life

The secret to prolonging the life of your device is to dehumidify at the end of each day. During the day moisture tends to condense inside the casing and battery compartment of the hearing device. This moisture is the enemy of the delicate mechanism and is the commonest cause of damage that needs remedial repairs.

The simple act of opening the battery compartment at night and removing the battery goes some way to preventing this. Leave the cover off overnight to ‘air’ the compartment, so it is dry and ready for use the next day. Even better, invest in a dehumidifier. These an inexpensive pieces of equipment that you pop your device in overnight.

Remember, the more use you get out of your hearing device, the better value it is. Maximize its lifespan by taking these simple steps to keep your hearing aid healthy.