With June now upon us, thoughts are now wandering to sun and beaches – the countdown to the summer holiday is officially on. For hearing aid users holidays away from home can pose a different type of hurdle than the usual routine.
There is nothing worse than being unprepared and away from your home but keeping your hearing aid at its functioning best shouldn’t keep you from the joys that summer has to offer. Here are some useful tips for maintaining your hearing aid abroad.
Plan ahead
Just as you would create a checklist of the must-take items for your holiday when packing, remember to factor in a mini list for your hearing aid requirements. The list should include extra batteries, a case to store it in and cleaning products.
The hearing aid itself and cleaning gels can trigger security precautions at airports. Be sure to notify security officers what hearing aid technology you are using before you get screened by the metal detectors. Also be prepared for the high noise levels around the airplane, take sound protection with you to prevent exposure to unsafe levels of noise.
Summer heat
This depends on where you’re going, but we’re sure that the majority of you will be visiting places where there is warmer temperatures than that of the UK. Hearing aids can struggle in extreme condition, so be sure to not expose them to direct sunlight while you are in the pool cooling off.
Prolonged exposure can shorten the hearing aid’s lifespan as the heat can damage the delicate elements. Take protective casing with you to put the hearing aid into whilst you are not using it and store it in a cool shaded area.
Avoid moisture
If you have been a long term user of a hearing aid, you will know that it can sometimes be easy to forget that you’ve got one in. Most hearing aids however are not waterproof so the urge to jump in the pool must be restrained until the hearing aid is stored away. Swim moulds are useful in protecting your ears from allowing water to enter.
The more humid weather can also increase the growth of germs, and bacteria on your hearing aid. It is recommended to invest in proper cleaning products that are easily accessible such as cleaning wipes.
The Hearing Centre is a fully independent practice with no affiliation to any one hearing aid manufacturer. This allows our audiologists to provide the correct hearing solution for each client’s unique hearing loss.
For more information about hearing aids or to book a consultation please contact The Hearing Centre on 0116 254 3909 or email info@hearingcentre.com.
