A combination of cold, wet weather and central heating can affect hearing aid performance but there are a few easy ways to make sure your hearing aids work their best this winter.
Disposable zinc-air hearing aid batteries are more susceptible to temperature changes than rechargeable lithium-ion hearing aids. Colder temperatures can cause disposable batteries to drain faster, so it is a good idea to have some spare as you may need to replace them more frequently than normal.
Changes in temperature can cause moisture and condensation to build up inside hearing aids, this can affect sound quality and damage internal electronic components if not removed. When the aids are not in use, open the battery doors and remove the batteries, this will allow dry air to circulate through the components and prevent corrosion of the batteries.
Hearing aids are water resistant but not waterproof, if you are out in the rain, wearing a coat with a hood or using an umbrella can help prevent water getting into your hearing aids. If your hearing aids get wet, or there is excessive condensation or moisture in them, remove the battery straight away and close the hearing aids in their box (battery door open) with a silica gel sachet overnight to dry out. If you experience ongoing issues with moisture build up, speak to your Audiologist about a drying box.
If you use behind the ear (BTE) hearing aids with ear moulds, condensation can gather in the tubing. This can be easily removed by separating the hearing aid from the tubing at the hook and shaking the mould to clear the condensation from the tubing. For persistent condensation issues, speak to your Audiologist about specialist tubing or an air puffer.
In most rechargeable hearing aids, the lithium-ion battery is enclosed within the hearing aid and cannot be removed. Moisture and condensation can still affect other components so this type of hearing aid can still benefit from the drying techniques mentioned above.
If you have any concerns about hearing aid performance or want to discuss the best options for maintaining your hearing aids, please contact us on 028 9066 7030