Hearing aids are some of the most heavily relied on and used devices of today’s culture. We have seen countless advancements in hearing aid technology from rechargeable batteries, to fitness tracker technology, to streaming calls and media making them even more indispensable. As hearing aids become even more utilized, they are more susceptible to becoming clogged or having damages. The best way to avoid small maintenance issues turning into big damages (not to mention keep your hearing health up to date) is to routinely have your hearing aids professionally cleaned and programmed by your audiologist every six months. However, as we all know life can get in the way of regular scheduled appointments and there are times that they will have to be pushed back. However, between appointments there are easy ways that you can do your part to make sure the hearing aids are working the best they can.
Use a small brush or cleaning cloth (glasses cloths work great!) to wipe off the entire hearing aid. Make sure you are getting the microphone covers as well as where the sound comes out of.
Replace your wax filters! Wax filters sit where the sound comes out of the hearing aid and are constantly collecting wax and debris from your ear to stop them from getting into your hearing aid and causing damages. Once these filters are full, the sound from the hearing aid will shut off until they are replaced. If you need wax filters between appointments, call your audiologist to have them mailed.
Use a dry aid kit! Dry aid kits can be either electric or non-electric and work to take moisture out of hearing aids. This becomes especially important in hot and humid months or anytime the hearing aids get wet.
Remember, if you run into a snag and cannot get into the office right away, don’t hesitate to reach out to your audiologist. We can walk you through cleaning procedures over the phone and mail cleaning tools!