Helpful information on sweat-resistant hearing aids, carrying cases, and other hearing aid accessories designed for an active lifestyle.
Written by Annie L. Messmer, Doctor of Audiology
Wearing
hearing aids shouldn’t stop you from playing your favorite sport or doing fun outdoor activities with your family and friends.
If you're a lover of the outdoors, you may wonder how hearing aids will live up to your active lifestyle. Luckily, there are several ways to keep your hearing aids safely protected from things like sweat, dust and light moisture.
Fortunately, most hearing aids made today have some of the highest ratings to protect against dirt and moisture, however, sometimes extra protection is needed.
Drying Station
In our opinion, a drying station is a necessary tool for all hearing aid wearers.
If you've been outside in the heat or getting a workout in and don't enjoy the feeling of sweat collecting on your hearing aids, then a drying station is must-have.
Just place your hearing aids inside, close the small plastic door, and it will begin to dry.
Some drying stations use a small fan, while others use a UV light. Some of the same companies that build hearing aids also sell their own personal drying station to help remove earwax, dirt, moisture, and even bacteria from your hearing aids.
These are highly recommended for anyone living in a humid area, or near the beach.
Soft Earmolds
If you wear BTE hearing aids, another way you can better protect your hearing aids and simultaneously experience the outdoors is by using a soft earmold.
The earmold is individually made to fit snugly into the wearer's ear to help prevent your hearing aids from falling out during activities with high movement.
They also help to retain the flow of sound within the ear canal and block out a partial amount of feedback.
If you like to engage in contact sports, this option can help prevent ear injuries just in case someone hits you or your hearing aid. The softness of the mold is based on the preference of the wearer.
Ear Gears
One way to keep your
hearing aids protected and clean is by using hearing aid covers.
A hearing aid cover is essentially like putting your hearing aids in their own personal mini sweater.
One of the main types of covers is the Ear Gear. The soft, nylon sleeve fits comfortably and covers the shell of the hearing aid to serve as a protective layer.
Aside from this, the sleeves can help eliminate the amount of wind noise your hearing aids intake. Hearing aid covers don’t compromise the quality of sound you take in.
Hearing aid covers typically come in a variety of colors as well as more subtle skin tone options.
Otoclips
If you enjoy an active lifestyle but don't want the feeling of an earmold, there's another option to keep your hearing aids from falling on the ground during physical activity.
Hearing aids are sophisticated pieces of technology, and we know they can cost a pretty penny, so you'll want to take some extra precaution to keep them from falling and potentially breaking.
This is where the Otoclip comes in. They are essentially a small rope or cord to fasten your hearing aid to your shirt.
This can enable you to play contact sports and prevent your listening device from falling off when moving. Pro tip, you can also use a regular headband to secure your hearing aids while you play.
About the Author
Annie L. Messmer, Au.D.
Dr. Annie Messmer is a certified audiologist with a degree from Northwestern University and over 10 years of experience working with patients of all ages. She has also trained numerous hearing care professionals on audiology best practices and the latest hearing technology.