By Dr. Rebecca Younk, Au.D., Audiologist, Outreach Services in Glenwood
With summer in full swing, locals and visitors are spending more time outdoors, enjoying activities like hiking, fishing, and boating on the lake. While the humidity will make the temperatures feel warmer, creating the perfect conditions for being outside, it can also pose challenges for those who have hearing aids and cochlear implants. Fortunately, there are solutions.
The moisture in the air can lead to more perspiration that seeps into the hearing devices, causing them to clog and muffle the sound. Many patients find themselves needing to get their hearing aids repaired or cleaned more frequently during the summer months.
Summer Maintenance of Hearing Aides and Cochlear Implants
Maintenance, especially during the summer, ensures hearing aid wearers can continue to engage in conversations and activities without missing important sounds and conversations. Proper care will enhance the devices’ longevity, so protecting hearing aids from moisture is crucial. As we all know, water and tech devices don’t mix.
If a hearing aid seems broken, it usually just needs a good cleaning. At the outreach clinic in Glenwood, hearing aids are cleaned, and moisture is removed via a hearing aid dryer, which vacuums the debris and moisture out. Ongoing maintenance will preserve the hearing aids for longer, especially since replacing them can be costly.
Signs of Hearing Loss
Aside from hearing aid maintenance, it is important to notice signs of hearing loss. Asking people to repeat themselves often, needing TV and other audio devices played louder, problems hearing in crowds, buzzing in the ears, rapid speech being difficult to follow, etc., can all be signs of hearing loss.
If you have concerns about hearing loss, ask your healthcare provider for a referral to an audiologist. Understanding the quality of your hearing and education to help prevent further hearing loss is the first step to enhancing your quality of life. Hearing assessments by a licensed audiologist and hearing aid rejuvenation and restoration are also available to ensure you aren’t missing out on the sounds and conversations that are important to you.
About Associated Hearing Care and Audiology Outreach Service in Glenwood
Audiologists at Associated Hearing Care see patients at Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood. They recommend that anyone who thinks they may have hearing loss set up a hearing evaluation by calling 651-222-9393 and letting them know you’d like an appointment in Glenwood. They are passionate about helping people understand the quality of their hearing, educating them on how to prevent hearing loss, and ultimately enhancing their quality of life.
Associated Hearing Care offers financing options to help make purchasing hearing aids more manageable and ensure that the investment is protected for the long term. Their clinic accepts most major medical insurances, such as Health Partners, Medica, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Medicare, and others. Additionally, they offer a comprehensive range of services to individuals covered by medical assistance.
