Here as Audiological Services of San Francisco, our audiologists aren’t only committed to identifying and treating your hearing loss. They are equally dedicated to ensuring you get to enjoy the benefits for years to come. Proper hearing aid care is essential to your device’s performance and here’s what you need to know.

Understand your hearing aid

No two people have the same hearing profile, which is why there is a huge range of hearing aids on the market. Behind-the-ear, in-the-ear and in-the-canal are the three main types. However, these can be broken down into subcategories while there are also subtle changes between brands and models. Getting to know yours is crucial.

While the audiologist can talk you through the main features at the hearing aid fitting appointment, you should still take some time to read up on the device. Read the manual and you’ll soon have a far greater knowledge of how to keep your device in better health. Perfect.

Keep them dry

Moisture exposure will always cause problems for the hearing aids, even when they are promoted as being water resistant, which is why you must take the necessary steps to avoid those issues. The following five tips will serve you well;

• Take them off when showering or swimming.
• Try to keep them covered if caught in heavy rain.
• Store hearing aids in a container at night.
• Take extra care when using hoses and household items.
• Dry with a towel if they ever get wet.

Getting water inside the casing or amplification system will have a negative impact, but avoid drying them with hairdryers and similar tools as the heat can cause problems. Be sure to avoid getting hairspray and other materials in the device too and you won’t go far wrong.

Keep them clean

Aside from making the devices look and feel a little icky, an accumulation of dirt and debris can damage the performance of your hearing aids. Earwax is the biggest culprit of all, not least because it’s impossible to avoid contact.

Still, you can make a huge impact by cleaning them with a cotton swab at the end of each day. On a related note, replacing the wax filter on a regular basis should prevent any wax from reaching the internal parts of the device. You’d be amazed at how quickly damage occurs once the wax infiltrates these areas.

Change the batteries on a regular basis
When you encounter problems with your hearing aid devices, it’s quite likely that the batteries will be the source of those troubles. As such, this should always be one of the first items that you troubleshoot. Symptoms of battery faults include;

• No power.
• Power cuts out.
• Volume changes without warning.
• Volume drops.
• The hearing aid makes unfamiliar noises.

Check that the battery is inserted properly and test that the door shuts without obstruction. If those issues are fine, try replacing the battery. If you use the devices for several hours at a time, you may need to do this every few days.

Take care when handling them

One of the main reasons that hearing aids are so delicate is due to their size. Whether cleaning them, changing the settings or placing them in overnight storage, it only takes a little too much pressure to break them or move a part out of position. Even when this doesn’t harm the performance, it can make the devices uncomfortable to wear.

If you are likely to drop them due to unsteady hands, why not sit down at a table when making those changes? It’s always better to be safe than sorry and avoids the threat of potentially dropping the device on the floor. Of course, keeping them stored away safely at night aids the cause too.

Get them professionally tested

While giving daily care the attention it deserves certainly helps, you must not ignore the need to see an audiologist from time to time. This is the only way to be sure that you’ve spotted every issue. Besides, the audiologist may make a few minor modifications to suit your changing hearing profile.

Here at San Francisco Hearing Center, we provide those services while also showing you how to take your daily hearing aid care game to the next level. Call us today to book an appointment.

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Why are Hearing Aid Fittings Important?

1. You get the perfect fit

As its name suggests, a hearing aid fitting is where your audiologist will fit the hearing aid for you. This guarantees that you get the perfect fit and that you’re sent home with a device that’s designed specifically for your ear. As far as comfort goes, you will be unable to match the fit unless you attend this appointment.

2. Your hearing aid is programmed for you

Following on from this, your audiologist will also use this appointment to program the hearing aid for you. Not only does this mean you don’t have to try and do it yourself, but it also means you get a device that’s programmed for your specific hearing loss. Different people have different hearing loss problems, which is why we have hearing aid fittings to ensure you get a device that works properly for you.

You get to learn how to use your hearing aid

During a hearing aid fitting, you get taught how to use your hearing aid by a professional audiologist. They will take the device and show you all the buttons and features that you need to be aware of. So, when you go home, you know how to use it and get the most out of it. If you didn’t go to a hearing aid fitting, then you’d have to try and figure all this out by yourself.

You get taught about maintenance and care

Finally, you get taught how to look after a hearing aid when you go to this appointment. Again, this isn’t something you get taught if you just bought a hearing aid online. Sure, there could be instructions on the packaging, but there’s no audiologist next to you showing you what to do. At your hearing aid fitting, your audiologist shows you exactly how to clean your hearing aid, how to care for it, and what you should and shouldn’t do. They may also give you a leaflet full of maintenance instructions, so you don’t forget. As a result, you take better care of your device and ensure it doesn’t break within a few months.

As you can see, hearing aid fittings are absolutely vital. Without one, you will most probably end up paying for a hearing aid that doesn’t fit comfortably, isn’t programmed correctly and you don’t know how to use or look after. It’s always worth taking an hour or so out of your schedule to attend a hearing aid fitting where your audiologist will ensure you leave with a smile on your face and volume in your ears!

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