Appropriate care gives hearing aids a longer life span

Hearing aids probably aren’t the most exciting appliances in the world. VCRs and CDs are a lot more fun. If you have hearing aids, however, you know that they are fragile, sensitive and expensive and that they need care to keep them working right.

In the United States, one-third of adults over the age of 65 have a hearing loss, but only about one in five wears a hearing aid. Social stigma is a big deterrent, but advances in technology and design are making hearing aids more appealing.

There are two types of hearing aids, analog and digital, with the latter being the newer. There are five styles: body-worn, behind the ear, in the ear, in the canal, and completely in the canal. Generally, the smaller the hearing aid is, the less powerful it is.

Hearing aids can and do break. They also get dirty. Moisture and dirt are their biggest enemies, and digital hearing aids are the most sensitive to moisture. Moisture occurs from perspiration, condensation or humidity in the air. You can protect your hearing aids by storing them in a “dry aid” kit. These can be purchased or made. Instructions for making them are available by e-mail at audio@wnmg.org.

To use these kits, remove the batteries and set them aside. Don’t put batteries in the dry-aid kit as their lives are reduced by exposure to the ingredients in the kit. Leave the battery doors open and put the hearing aids in the kit and seal it. Leave them there overnight or however long is needed because of the amount of moisture. Keep the kit closed at all times.

Cleaning care

Always insert and remove your hearing aids over a soft surface to avoid damage if you should happen to drop one. Never expose them to direct or excessive heat. Don’t use water or alcohol to clean your hearing aids. Wipe them off with a tissue or the cleaning tool that came with your hearing aids, or use a soft, dry toothbrush. Do not apply hairspray or other hair-care products while wearing hearing aids. If you use lotion, especially suntan lotion, wash your hands thoroughly before handling your hearing aids or batteries.

Take care of batteries

If you undergo an electromagnetic examination such as a CAT or MRI scan, remove your hearing aids. Be sure to keep used batteries away from children, pets and your medications.

Battery life depends upon the size of the battery, the drain on the hearing aid circuitry, hours used and listening conditions. If your battery isn’t lasting as long as you expected, make a note on a calendar each time one is replaced. Store unused batteries in a dry, cool place but never refrigerate. Leave the tab in place until you are ready to install the battery. Do not carry loose batteries in your pocket or purse as contact with other metal objects may short-circuit them.

If your hearing aid battery is new and you have no sound, it’s possible that the canal opening of the ear mold or hearing aid may be blocked with wax or debris. Daily cleaning will help reduce this problem. It’s best to have hearing aids checked for routine maintenance and cleaning about four times a year.

Two better than one

If you have a hearing loss in both ears, two hearing aids are better than one. Binaural (both ears) hearing aids offer better hearing in noisy places. They also help to determine more accurately from which direction sounds are coming and to process and understand speech.

You can expect your hearing aid to improve your hearing in quiet environments such as one to one conversation or watching television. Hearing with background noise should not be worse than without a hearing aid. Soft speech should be audible, and average speech should be comfortable. Loud speech should be loud but not uncomfortable.

Your voice will sound different when you use hearing aids but should be acceptable to you. You will hear ordinary sounds you haven’t heard for a while, such as clocks, birds, a refrigerator running and footsteps. There should be no feedback when hearing aids or ear molds are properly seated in your ears. Researchers say that we hear with our brains, not our ears. If one ear is aided and the other isn’t, the unaided ear may los the ability to process and understand speech. Remember, too, that if you family or friends say you need hearing aids, you probably do. Check with your doctor to rule our infection or other problems, then have your hearing tested by an audiologist. This hearing specialist will work with you until you find a hearing aid that fits your needs.