Keeping your hearing aids dry

Posted Monday March 11, 2024

Moisture that accumulates inside hearing aids can affect their performance, and over time, repeated exposure can corrode the delicate micro-electronic components. Damage from moisture is one of the leading reasons for hearing aid repairs. But none of us want to stop doing things that we enjoy and keep us healthy —going to the beach, sailing, kayaking, and working out at the gym.

Here are some ways to protect you aids against moisture damage:

• The traditional advice is avoid or minimize the time you wear your hearing aids around water. However, this provides no protection against accidental exposure — like forgetting to take them off in the shower — and for many people it’s important to hear well around water, for example when working in the rain or at aqua-jog classes.
• After showering or swimming, dry your ears and hair thoroughly before putting your hearing aids on.
• Make it a habit to use a dry system to store your hearing aids overnight— either a simple pottle with a desiccant crystal capsule, or any of the ‘active’ systems on the market that have fans or heating to circulate dry air through the aids; some also use a UV light to help prevent microbial build up.
• If you have a lifestyle where you are always around water, or concerned about keeping them safe from moisture, talk to your audiologist about our rechargeable, highly water-resistant hearing aid range.

You can learn more at the Phonak audiology blog.