Congratulations, you’ve got new hearing aids and are enjoying the freedom that comes with better hearing. Now it’s time to make sure you can continue to enjoy it by keeping your hearing aids in good shape.

All you need to remember is ‘BMW’. Not the car but Batteries, Moisture and Wax.

Before we dive into these, just a quick word on types of hearing aids. The way you care for your hearing aids will vary slightly depending on the kind you have. In this blog, we’ll focus on Behind the Ear (BTE) hearing aids. These are worn behind your ear and are connected to an earmold, which sits within your ear canal, via a piece of tubing.

Now, let’s get back to BMW.

 

B is for Batteries

To make sure your hearing aid batteries last as long as possible, disengage them when you’re not using your hearing aids, for example overnight when you sleep. All you need to do is leave the battery door fully open.

 

M is for Moisture

Your ear canal is a warm, moist place. This means moisture can collect on the inside of the tubing that connects to your earmold. Check your tubing every day and if you spot this, unhook the tubing and use a tube blower to push the moisture out.

Another way to keep your hearing aids a moisture-free zone is to store them in a dehumidifying container.

 

W is for Wax

Your earmolds sit within the waxy surroundings of your ear canals. When you slip your earmold in, it can slide right into a layer of earwax. If this wax gets into the receiver, your hearing aid can stop working. Wax guards can protect your earmold receiver. They come in different styles: spring, Band-Aid or trapdoor.

You should also clean your hearing aids daily to remove any build up of wax or other debris. Use a clean, dry cloth or tissue. Avoid tissues with aloe or other lotions.

So, you’ve taken care of the batteries, moisture and wax. That’s great. Now don’t forget to have your hearing aids regularly serviced.

At Physicians Hearing Care we provide our clients with scheduled service plans. You can find out more by getting in touch with any one of our branches in East Tennessee.

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Sarah Post, Au.D., CCC-A

As a child of deaf adults (CODA) in the Knoxville Deaf Community, she understands the struggles like no other. This sparked her passion for audiology as a career and led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in audiology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. After completing her degree, she continued her education at Auburn University, where she completed her doctorate of audiology (Au.D.) before returning to Knoxville to serve the local community. As a clinical audiologist at Physicians Hearing Care, Sarah provides comprehensive diagnostic services to assess patients’ hearing needs. Often requiring the assistance of amplification devices, Sarah helps patients select and tailor instruments to their specific hearing loss and needs that can improve their quality of life. With each patient, she listens and discusses their needs to develop a plan to improve their communication and quality of life. So far, there have been many life-changing moments during her time at PHC. Most of all, Sarah loves working with people to form a partnership to understand their needs, build trust, and craft customized plans to improve their hearing health.