There’s nothing like a day on Grapevine Lake; sailing with the wind in your hair, basking in the sun and going for a long swim make summer feel like it’s truly arrived. If you’re part of the 15% of U.S. adults with hearing loss,[1] your lake days need to include a few safety precautions to prevent damage to your hearing aids.
Let’s look at a few of those precautions below.
Don’t Swim in Your Hearing Aids
Water can damage the delicate circuitry of your hearing aids. That damage can impair sound quality, reduce battery life or even permanently shut down your devices.
Even if your hearing aids have a high waterproof rating and you don’t intend to put your head under the water, it’s still best to remove them before swimming. If your devices fall out during your swim, they run the risk of living the rest of their days at the bottom of the lake instead of in your ears where they belong.
Wear Hearing Aid Clips
If you’re riding around on a boat, don’t forget to wear hearing aid clips. The handy accessory attaches your hearing aids to your shirt to keep them secure if they fall out.
Bring a Hearing Aid Dehumidifier
When you’re spending the day in or around water, there’s always the chance that your hearing aids will get wet. A hearing aid dehumidifier draws moisture from your devices to reduce the risk of damage from a splash. You can choose an electric dehumidifier or a drying jar filled with desiccating beads.
Keep Your Hearing Aids Cool
Excessive heat can damage your hearing aids just like water, and we all know how hot Texas can get. Avoid storing your hearing aids in your car or in direct sunlight. If you’re not wearing them, put them in their case, in a bag and out of direct sunlight.
If your lake day ends in hearing aid damage, we can help. Contact Heard It Through The Grapevine Audiology, PC today to schedule a service appointment with one of our specialists.
[1] National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (2024). Quick statistics about hearing, balance, & dizziness. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing