Frequently Asked Questions
Your
Hearing Aid
QUESTION: If I keep my hearing aid batteries in the refrigerator,
will they last longer?
ANSWER:
Only mercury batteries may keep longer in the refrigerator. The
most common type of hearing aid battery today is the zinc-air battery.
These batteries will drain faster if kept in the refrigerator. It
is best to keep zinc-air batteries at room temperature, out of reach
of small
children and pets. You can extend the life of a zinc-air battery
if you store them out of the hearing aid over night or ensure the
battery door of the hearing aid is wide open so the battery is not
touching the metal contacts of the hearing aid. If batteries touch
any type of metal, including another battery, it can also increase
the drain on a battery.
QUESTION: I used to love to go to the theatre but I miss so
much because I can't hear everything that's being said that I do
not go any more. I have hearing aids that work well but they are
just not enough in the theatres. Is there anything I can do?
ANSWER:
A hearing loss should not restrict you from the activities you
enjoy! Most theatres and cinemas have listening devices for
the hard of hearing. You should call
ahead and make sure they will reserve one for you. These devices
are relatively inconspicuous and will pick up the sound from
the
stage or cinema speakers and direct it to the headset you are wearing.
There is a volume control on these sets so you may adjust
the volume
to a comfortable level. They usually do not require that you use
your hearing aids with them. Smaller versions of these systems
are
also available for televisions.
QUESTION: How long does it take to get used to hearing aids?
ANSWER:
There are several factors that influence how quickly and how well
you will adjust to hearing aids. It is important to remember that
we are really fitting the brain with sound, not the ears. It is
your brain and how it adjusts and translates the sounds that are
coming into the ears, whether naturally or through an amplified
system, which will determine your success with hearing aids.
If
you have put off using hearing aids for a long time, the brain
has
had that much time to "forget" how to process the sounds
when they are re-introduced. The more you put off using hearing
aids, the more difficult and longer it may take to adjust to sounds
again. You must "re-train" your brain for sound, especially
the difficult task of sorting out speech from background noise.
Wear the hearing
aids for at least a few hours everyday; build on that experience
working from quiet environments up to noisier ones. This can be
done over one to two months. Some people will adjust faster and
others, slower. It will depend on the type and severity of the
hearing
loss as well as how long you have had the hearing loss.
QUESTION:
How long can you expect a hearing aid to last and how often will
it need to be repaired?
ANSWER:
The average life of a hearing aid that fits completely in the
ear
is from four to seven years. Hearing aids that go behind the ear
tend to have a longer life. It is normal to expect a hearing
aid
to have repairs after the first two years. The ear canal is 100
% humidity and remains a constant temperature of 98 degrees
F. Earwax
(cerumen) is a combination of salt and corrosive body acid. These
conditions are harmful to circuit and electronics of the hearing
aid. As we cannot change the environment that the hearing aids
must work in, the hearing aids must be brought in for regular
professional
care. Daily maintenance of the hearing aids by the user is also
important to reduce repairs on a hearing aid. The use of hearing
aid accessories like a Dry Aid Kit that pulls moisture from a hearing
aid, can reduce the number of repairs and lengthen the life
of the
hearing aid and the batteries. Hearing aid accessories and the
proper maintenance of hearing aids are an integral part of the
hearing aid care.
QUESTION:
My mother takes her hearing aids out at night. She lives alone and
I am concerned that she may not hear the smoke alarm if she is sleeping
without her hearing aids in.
ANSWER:
You are justified in your concern. Hearing aids must be taken
out of the ear at night to allow air into the ear in order to keep
the ear canal healthy. Sleeping on a hearing aid might also cause
a sore in the ear. Everyone who wears a hearing aid should ensure
that they can hear the smoke alarm from their bed without their
hearing aid in. They should be able to hear it at a loud enough
level that it will wake them from a sound sleep. If they cannot
hear the alarm, there are systems available to wake them in response
to the alarm. One system is a strobe light that will flash in their
face to wake them and another is a disc that can be set under the
pillow or mattress that will vibrate in response to the smoke alarm
to alert the person of danger. These items are relatively inexpensive
and certainly worth their price if they save your life. Similar
devices are available to alert people of doorbells, telephones,
baby cries, etc.. For more information on these assistive listening
or warning systems contact your local hearing aid dispenser.
QUESTION:
How should I be taking care of my hearing aid on a daily basis?
ANSWER:
The two main enemies of hearing aids are ear wax, "cerumen",
and moisture. These need to be dealt with on a regular basis.
Most
ears produce some amount of cerumen which is healthy and normal,
in fact it is important for a healthy ear! Ears were not designed
to be plugged with anything, including hearing aids, however,
plugging
the ears reduces ventilation and increases the production of cerumen.
When cerumen gets into the sound channel of the hearing aid
it reduces
or stops the amplified sound from reaching the eardrum. Therefore,
the wax should be brushed from the sound hole every morning
when
it has had a chance to dry overnight.
To
deal with the moisture - perspiration problem a "dryer"
should be used at night when the hearing aid is not being worn.
This is a small jar with "desiccant" or drying" crystals"
in it which absorbs moisture.
QUESTION:
My father recently was fitted with hearing aids and doesn't like
to wear them out because he says the background noise bothers him.
Is there anything that will help?
ANSWER:
It is important to remember that normal hearing people hear the
background noise too. Hearing aids will not take that away. Consistent,
every-day use and practice with the hearing aids will lead to success
in noisier environments, as the brain must re-learn how to prioritize
the sounds it is hearing and focus only on the voice it wants to
hear. If you only wear hearing aids part of the time, you will fail
to receive the full benefits that the hearing aids have to offer.
There are hearing aids currently available that can perform better
in background noise but no hearing aid will remove background noise
completely. Any hearing aid with directional or dual microphones
handles background noise well.
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