• Sunday 12 July 2015
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Caring For Your Hearing Aids

Protecting Your Investment

Hearing aids are a mojor investment for anybody no matter how much they cost. The chances are, you’ve spent quite a bit of money on your hearing aids. Not just that, but over time they have delivered real benefits to you in your daily life allowing you to re-connect with the people and social situations you love.  In order for you to receive the full value of your spend and to continue to receive those amazing benefits, you need to take proper care of them.

 

Protecting The Important Parts

In order to keep your hearing aids running, you need to protect the important parts, but what are they? Hearing aids are sensitive electronic instruments. Rough handling and moisture can damage the miniaturized electronics in modern hearing aids. Dust, dirt and ear wax can clog up the microphone, receiver or both. The microphone picks up the sounds in the environment and the receiver (speaker) allows you to hear those sounds after amplification is applied. If either one of these is blocked or malfunctions, you will hear very little.

 

Four Simple Steps

 The key to keeping your hearing aids running is regular maintenance. There are four simple things you need to consider, handle carefully, protect from moisture, remove excessive earwax and be careful when changing batteries. Around each of these points are a few simple care and maintenance steps that when followed on a regular basis will ensure your hearing aids continues to perform.  They are simple steps, but they need to be done on a regular basis. Lets look at some do’s and don’ts of hearing aid maintenance.

 

Handle your hearing aid carefully

1. Always treat your hearing aid gently, and remove it only when standing over a soft surface so that if you accidentally drop it, it will not fall onto the hard floor.
2. Try to keep your hearing aid away from extreme temperatures either hot or cold.
3. Never use any kind of chemical solvents or alcohol to clean your hearing aids, specialist hearing aid wipes are available.
4. If you use hairsprays make up or beauty products, apply them before inserting your hearing aid, because they can clog its receiver and microphone or damage its plastic shell.

 

Protect it from moisture

1. Your hearing aids and their electronic components are very sensitive to moisture.
2. Always remove it before showering, swimming, or bathing, and never try to clean it with a very wet cloth.
3. Unless advised, remove your hearing aid before going to sleep, and store it overnight in a place that is clean and dry.
4. When you reinsert your hearing aid after showering or bathing, make sure that your ears are completely dry.
5. Consider investing in a hearing aid dehumidifier; one of the most common reasons that hearing aids have to be returned for servicing is the buildup of moisture, so an inexpensive dehumidifier can greatly extend the life of your precision instrument.
6. To use a hearing aid dehumidifier, which removes any accumulation of moisture, remove the batteries from the unit before storing it in the dehumidifier overnight.

 

Remove excessive ear wax from your ears

1. Ear wax clogging either the receiver or microphone in hearing aids is the second most common cause of them having to be returned for service.
2. Ear wax is a natural thing, and it is beneficial in that it helps to protect your ear canals, but it is tough on hearing aids electronics.
3. Upon removing your hearing aid, wipe away ear wax using a soft cloth.
4. Use the brush or other implements provided with the hearing aid to remove any buildup of ear wax from its receiver and microphone areas. The best time to do this is in the morning when the wax has had time to dry.

 

Careful when changing the batteries

1. Switch your hearing aid off when you’re not using it, or at night, to help the batteries last longer.
2. When changing your hearing aid batteries, make sure your hands are clean and dry.
3.  When the battery coompartment is open, check the contacts and battery compartment for dirt or earwax.
4. clean the battery contacts using a cotton swab, because dirty contacts can impair the unit’s proper functioning.

 

Hearing Aid Repair Services in Cork

If you follow these simple tips, it will ensure that your hearing aids continue to function well. If you need any help or you are looking for hearing aid repair services in Cork, call us on 1800 501 501 and we will book you in.