The crunch of snow underfoot, the melodies of Christmas jingles in the air, there are lots of wonderful things about winter. But if your hearing aids aren’t working you won’t be able to enjoy any of the sounds of the season. The chill in the air isn’t good news for your hearing aids. Here’s why and what you can do about it:
Bye bye batteries
You may find yourself burning through your batteries faster this winter. That’s because the colder, drier air means your batteries will hold less voltage. That’s the physics part. The end result for you is that your batteries won’t last as long.
Hello moisture
When it’s cold outside, it feels great to get back into a nice warm building. Unfortunately your hearing aids won’t be so happy as the air outside would’ve cooled them and coming back into the warmth can cause water to condense on their surface. This condensation can then get into the electrics within your hearing aids. Snow and sweat can do much the same kind of electrical damage.
You’ll know if your hearing aids have moisture damage if the sounds you hear are faded, distorted or altogether absent as your hearing aids stop working for stretches of time. Loud noises or changes in volume may also cause warped sounds if your hearing aids have moisture damage.
Now here’s how to protect your hearing aids…
First off, if you already think your hearing aids have been damaged by moisture, take them in for a service. If you can, stop using them to prevent further damage.
If your hearing aids are working like a charm and you want to keep them that way, then all you need to do is keep them clean, dry and warm. Here’s how:
Bundle up your ears
Wear a hat, headbands or earmuffs. They won’t just keep your ears toasty warm but your hearing aids too. This means condensation will be less likely to form on your hearing aids when you come in from the cold. Your winter hat will also stop snow and sweat from reaching your hearing aids.
Dedicated drying time
Invest in a dehumidifier or drying case for your hearing aids to help get rid of any moisture that does get into them.
Open your battery case
Take out your batteries when you aren’t using your hearing aids and leave the battery case open. This will prevent your batteries draining so quickly and help dry out your hearing aids.
If you need any help with your hearing aids or your hearing health this winter, get in touch with our team of audiologists at any one of our 5 Physicians Hearing Care Centers across East Tennessee, click here to find the one closest to you.
