When you get into a good routine of wearing your hearing aids, you start noticing things. New sounds. New sensations. New emotions. And, quite possibly, earwax.
In this post we are going to talk about cleaning your hearing aids – including removing earwax. We will also show you how to change the batteries in your hearing aids.
Cleaning your hearing aids
Your ear canals produce earwax primarily for two reasons: Firstly, it assists in lubricating the ear canal – sort of like lip balm for your ears. Secondly, it helps protect the ears against infections and foreign objects such as small insects.
So, earwax serves a natural and vital purpose in our body. Wax build-up can, however, clog up your hearing aids and is one of the main contributors to the need for hearing aid repair.
We recommend you establish a daily routine of taking a tissue or dry cloth and using it to dab the earpiece mould. This should remove any earwax.
If you notice your hearing aids are not performing as well as before and there is a build-up of earwax, you may need to replace the wax filter. This rarely happens within the first month – and you don’t need to worry. Just contact your hearing care professional and ask for assistance. They can teach you how to do this at home if you are comfortable with it, or you can rely on them for help.
Changing the batteries in your hearing aids
The batteries in your hearing aids will typically last three to ten days, depending on usage – for example, how much you use them for streaming music and television.
Changing the batteries is not complicated. You will hear a sound when the battery is running low and this signals that it is time to replace the batteries. This warning period can vary depending on how your hearing care professional has programmed your hearing aids.
If you need assistance, you can watch this demonstration of how to change the batteries in your hearing aids:
Here are a few useful tips when it comes to changing the batteries:
- Put a little dot or the sticker from your battery in your calendar every time you change the batteries. This will allow you to keep track of your average battery life and plan accordingly.
- Handle the batteries over a surface such as a table or a tray. That way, if you drop the batteries, you won’t have to rummage around on the floor looking for them.
- Once you have removed the sticker from the battery, we advise waiting 30 seconds before inserting it. This gives the new battery time to draw air and will help it to function optimally.
We hope these tips will help you in your daily life with your hearing aids!