By Rhonda Monge, Office Manager, and Kristine Herrman, MS,CCC-A Clinical Audiologist, Hometown Hearing & Audiology
Though many of us had doubts, summer has arrived this year as scheduled! With the changing temperatures, we now have opportunity to participate in the warm weather activities we’ve been waiting for!
If you are a hearing aid wearer, you can enjoy any number of seasonal activities, but it will be important to protect your hearing and keep your device safe and functioning. Below are some tips to consider as we enter the active summer months.
Avoid temperature extremes.
The outer shell of the aid can melt if exposed to extreme heat or sunlight for long periods of time. Also, going back and forth from an air-conditioned room to the outdoor heat can cause condensation on the interior components and moisture is very hard on hearing aids. Hearing aid batteries can only withstand short amounts of high heat exposure. Examples of situations to avoid would be leaving your aids lying outside in the sun or on the dashboard of your car or wearing them in a tanning booth. It’s best for them to be stored in cool, dry areas.
Be cautious with sunscreen.
Lotions and sprays can clog or damage the inner workings of your hearing aids. Apply sunscreen and then wash it off your hands before inserting amplification devices. Take care when applying lotion to your face, neck and ears.
Know the difference between “waterproof” and “water resistant.”
If you have water resistant hearing aids, they should continue to function if you perspire, but you should not jump in the pool with them in. Water will travel through the microphone or other vents and the aid will stop working. Waterproof hearing aids are IP67 certified, meaning they can withstand complete submersion in liquid for up to 30 minutes. Make sure you know if your hearing devices fit either of these categories. A good investment would be a hearing aid dryer or dehumidifier to guard against damage in non-waterproof hearing aids and possibly avoid ear infections.
There is a device available that enables the hearing aid wearer to splash in the water and shower without concern. The Lyric hearing aid can be inserted quickly and painlessly by the audiologist and worn for months at a time.
Avoid setting off alarms at the airport en route to your vacation destination.
You can carry a downloadable TSA notification card with you to notify security personnel of your hearing amplification devices or just tell them before the scanning. The aids will not become damaged if they are scanned or X-rayed. After boarding, FAA guidelines allow for hearing instruments to remain on, enabling you to listen to any important information given by the pilot or flight attendants.
Beware of the sounds of summer.
While we may think of chirping crickets, singing birds, and children playing as typical summer sounds, there are other noises that can cause permanent damage to our ears. Long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss. A concert could reach 110 decibels and a fireworks display can reach 150 decibels! Consider wearing ear plugs for activities such as watching fireworks, mowing and trimming the lawn, attending concerts or watching truck and tractor shows at the fair. Generally speaking, if you have to shout to be heard above the noise, you need to leave the area, turn down the volume or wear hearing protection.
If you suspect you may have hearing loss, please contact Kristine Herrman at Hometown Hearing & Audiology, 309-452-9300. Her office is located at 112 Boeykens Place, Suite 4A in Bloomington. They offer a free hearing evaluation and are the only office in the area that has the Lyric technology available.
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