Using Your Hearing Aid During Summer Activities

Man holding grandson at family cookout waiting for grilled food to be done

You’re planning a really active summer. You’re certainly going to hit the beach and maybe go for a swim. You’ll do some day-to-day running and then maybe attend a ball game or two before going home and grilling up some tasty dinner. Your schedule is going to be pretty full. And you want to ensure your hearing aids are up to the challenge.

Summer activities such as these can be tough on your hearing aids, but these little useful devices can be safeguarded without it slowing your summer fun.

Challenges of hearing aids during the summer

With hearing aids, every season will come with distinctive challenges. Climate and weather are the greatest obstacles in the summer.

Summer-related obstacles may include:

  • Wind: Your hearing aids can be pushed and pulled around by the wind if it’s powerful enough. And if you’re in an extremely dry environment, wind can also introduce dust and debris into your hearing aids.
  • Dirt and debris: During the summer you’re actually active. But when you go to the beach, there’s a good possibility you could get some sand in your hearing aid, and that could cause issues.
  • Moisture: Whether it’s from humidity, swimming, rain, or simply sweat, moisture is just about always present in the summer. Moisture can be harmful to hearing aids so that can present a challenge.

Part of the reason why these problems are more common during the summer is self-evident: you’re usually outdoors more often. And you’re more likely to experience a sudden rain storm or a strong wind when you’re outdoors so often.

How to keep your hearing aids in good working order all summer

Your hearing aids are made to allow you to do more, to improve the quality of life. So over the course of the summer, most individuals want to use their hearing aids as often as they can. This means doing a few extra things to care for the technology and ensure your hearing aids keep working.

Take actions to keep your hearing aids dry

Water will damage electronics and the more advanced the electronics, the worse the possible damage. There are several ways you can protect against moisture:

  • Thoroughly dry your ears. Make sure you aren’t accidentally transferring moisture from your ears to your hearing aids.
  • Open the battery compartment on your hearing aids at night and let them air dry. This will help prevent damage from corrosion of the battery.
  • Wear a sweatband when you’re exercising. This will help keep moisture out of your ears (and away from your hearing aids).
  • Don’t bring your hearing aids into the water. Beach day? Great! Just take out your hearing aids first. Obviously, this is common sense. So lingering moisture in your ears after you get out of the water is the real concern. That’s why you should consider using a swim cap and earplugs when you go in the water. By doing this your ears and thus your hearing aids will stay nice and dry.
  • Have a microfiber towel handy. You can use this to periodically dry your hearing aids. In this way, you can avoid the accumulation of moisture.

Routinely clean your hearing aids

Moisture and heat can both hasten the growth of bacteria. In the summer particularly, take measures to keep your hearing aids clean. You can do the following:

  • Store your hearing aids in a cool and dry place. That’s because hearing aids (as a general rule) don’t like exposure to heat and direct sunlight. So keep them off of your dashboard on hot days. Alternatively, when you’re not wearing them, keep your hearing aids in a cool, dry place.
  • Routinely sanitize your hearing aids. This can be done with specially produced antibacterial and disinfectant wipes.
  • Watch out for the long-term accumulation of debris. As you’re disinfecting your hearing aids, you can also take the time to clean out any debris that might have accumulated. Sooner or later, it’s most likely also a good plan to have your hearing aids professionally cleaned.

Stay active, stay happy, keep hearing

Your hearing aids are made to accompany you throughout your life, and that’s certainly true of the summer months. You can keep your hearing aids dry and in good working order whether you’re hiking, swimming, or just taking an evening stroll around your neighborhood.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.