Hearing Aids in winter

Winter is coming! Winter is coming! In Portland, Oregon this means preparing your car, covering your pipes and taking care of your outdoor faucet. Now that you have a hearing aid, winter should also be synonymous with taking the proper precautions to protect your valuable investment in your hearing.

Here in Portland, temperatures can drop into the 30s. This is not cold enough to actually damage the hearing aid (some Oregonians may not agree).  Condensation, created from changing temperatures, which occurs when you run from the warm mall to your cold car, can cause damage to the hearing aid. Sweating can also cause damage. Even though it is cold out, is it easy to break a sweat cleaning off your car or shoveling the front steps.

Moisture, such as condensation or sweat, can damage your hearing aid. Common signs your hearing aid has been affected by moisture are:

·         Hearing static

·         Your hearing seems to come and go

·         Your hearing aid suddenly stops and then starts working again

·         Your hearing aid cuts out, often during loud noises

The first thing you should do if experiencing any of these is to check the batteries in your hearing aid. Remove the batteries from the device and replace with new batteries. The hearing aid should be dried with a cotton swab and you should check to make sure there is no buildup on the device, such as wax.

If these steps still do not fix the device, try drying it out. This can be done with a store bought dry kit of dehumidifier. Home remedy can also work:

·         Air dry your hearing aid by placing it on newspaper for at least 24 hours

·         Place your hearing aid near (not under) a light bulb

·         Use a hair dryer set at its lowest setting

·         Place your hearing aid in a sandwich bag full of uncooked rice for 24 hours

If none of these methods restore your hearing aid, visit your local Portland audiologist. They are experts; if the hearing aid can be fixed they will be the ones that can do it.