3 top tips for making the most of your hearing aids

Having a clear daily routine with hearing aids is so important. If you follow our top tips, we think you’ll be onto a winning solution to ensure you are making the most of them.

Use your hearing aids all day

We know that there are people who only use their hearing aids when they are going out of the house or if they’re watching the TV. We are here to tell you that you should be using them as much as possible! They are there to help you and the more you wear them, the more natural they will feel and the more benefit you will see. When you have your 6 monthly hearing check-ups, your hearing care professional will be able to see how many hours per day on average you have been wearing them for. Again, getting into a routine will really help with this. We would advise popping them in as soon as you get up in the morning and keeping them on until you go to bed in the evening, if possible.

Keep your hearing aids in the same place!

This tip really ensures that your hearing aids are kept secure. Our recommendation would be your bedside table / night stand. If you have a case which you keep them in, that would be the best place to store them in at night. Having a case is also useful for when you are out and about or on holiday. If your hearing aids are rechargeable then you will be keeping them in their charging case anyway. If you don’t have a case, we would suggest keeping them in a drawer so they are not loose on the side. Doing this every night will ensure it becomes a habit and you are much less likely to misplace the aids. It’s very important to remove them before a bath or shower too.

Another consideration is if you have a pet. Your hearing aids have a scent of you which will remind your pet of you and they may be tempted to investigate the source of the smell!

Create a daily cleaning routine that works for you

It’s important to keep on top of cleaning your hearing aids. The best thing to do is to give them a visual inspection. You will then be able to see the areas that need cleaning as well as decide which tools you require to remove the dirt and debris.

You should begin by using a soft cloth to clean your aids gently. Do not ever use water or place your aids in water as this could ruin them. After you have wiped them over, you can begin to use your small brushes and tools to dislodge any wax that may have built up. Once your hearing aids are clean, you can assess whether you need to change the wax filters and domes (if applicable). It is advisable to change these at least once a month to ensure they aren’t clogged up with wax and therefore, affecting your hearing.

If your hearing aids take batteries, it’s good to have a few spare on hand. No matter the brand of hearing aid battery you decide to purchase, they all have the same sizes for hearing aids: 10 (yellow), 312 (brown), 675 (blue) and 13 (orange). Even if you can’t remember which size your hearing aids take, it’s easy to remember the colour.

We understand that life with hearing aids can seem tricky to begin with. There are a lot of things to remember, but the best thing you can do is to take each day one at a time. Your hearing care professional will always be there to help. They will be able to resolve your queries so make sure you take any questions to your appointments. If you’d like any further advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.