Hearing loss is a common condition. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders states, “One in eight people in the United States (13 percent, or 30 million) aged 12 years or older has hearing loss in both ears, based on standard hearing examinations.”
The good news is that hearing aids help people with hearing loss improve their ability to process speech and sound and feel comfortable in their ability to listen in many different environments.
If you’re considering hearing aids or have been using them for a long time, knowing how to care for them is vital to ensure you get the most out of your device.
Clean Your Hearing Aids Every Night 
To experience your best hearing throughout the day, you should wear your hearing aids whenever you’re not sleeping or in water (showering, swimming). However, wearing your hearing aids daily exposes them to earwax, moisture and other debris, which can build up and cause problems over time.
To prevent this, it’s essential you clean your hearing aids every night when you take them out before bed. You can wipe them down with a soft dry cloth or purchase a hearing aid cleaning kit. These kits come with tools like a soft-bristled brush or vent cleaners to thoroughly remove debris from your hearing aids.
Store Them Somewhere Safe
After you clean your hearing aids, it’s equally important you store them somewhere safe before bed. When thinking about storage spots, you want to pick cool, dry and convenient places. Ideally, you want to keep them in the same location every night to create a solid routine. Some popular storage options include:
- Nightstand
- Jewelry box
- Sock drawer
- Hearing aid drying box
If you have rechargeable hearing aids, you should put them in your charger at night, so you can store your hearing aids and power them up simultaneously.
Always Keep Extra Batteries With You
The last thing you want is for your hearing aids to lose power while in a work meeting or enjoying a family dinner at Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack. If your hearing aids use disposable batteries, always have some with you when you’re out. You can keep them in your purse, coat pocket or glove compartment in your car. Just make sure they aren’t loose or next to coins, keys or other objects that could drain them of power.
To learn more about hearing aids or to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists, contact San Francisco Audiology today.