Resources for our Hearing Aid Patients

Important Things to Remember

  • RED is for the right ear. BLUE is for the left ear.
  • Do not get your hearing aids wet or expose them to excess moisture.
  • Take your hearing aids out before you get into the shower and before you go to sleep at night.
  • Open the battery door at night to prolong battery life.
  • Hearing aids should always be turned off and kept in their case when not in your ears.
  • Take your hearing aids out when you are around extremely loud noises.
  • Keep your hearing aids and batteries away from pets and small children.
  • Take your batteries out of your hearing aids before putting the aids into a Dri-Aid container.
  • Clean your hearing aids each day with the tool provided.
  • Take the hearing aids out before applying hairspray.

Daily cleaning | Travel info | Feedback | Churches & movie theaters | MRIs, CT scans & X-rays | Dentist | Salon or barber | At-home hearing rehab | Battery info

Daily Cleaning

It is extremely important to clean your hearing aids every day. Your audiologist will show you how to clean your specific hearing aids. Proper daily cleaning may help reduce the need for future repairs and could provide years of reliable performance. Many people find it easiest to clean their hearing aids when they take them out at night. Never expose your hearing aids to water or moisture when cleaning them.

 Tips on cleaning your hearing aids: 

  • Remove your hearing aids over a soft surfaced area in case you accidentally drop one.
  • Gently wipe your hearing aids with a dry cloth or tissue. Make sure the tissue does not contain lotion.
  •  Very lightly brush all areas of your hearing aids. It is best to hold the hearing aid upside down while brushing the microphone and receiver openings. This lets debris fall away from the microphone and receiver areas.
  • Gently remove ear wax from the sound opening or wax guard.
  • Look at the hearing aids for signs of moisture, corrosion or other damage.
  •  Do not use harsh chemicals or cleaners such as rubbing alcohol to clean your hearing aids.
  • Do not stick pins, paper clips or other objects into any opening of your hearing aids.
  • Your audiologist may recommend that you place your hearing aids in a Dri-Aid jar after you clean them. Open the battery door and remove the battery before you put the hearing aids into the jar. Top ↑

Additional Costs Associated with Hearing Aids »

Travel information for hearing aid users

  • When walking through airport security, wear your hearing aids as you pass through the metal detector. Do not put the hearing aids in your purse or carry-on baggage. If you are not wearing the hearing aids, you should ask for them to be visually inspected by security officers.
  • Subjecting your hearing aids to X-ray technology may cause them to malfunction (you may need to inform the security officer that your hearing aid could be damaged).
  • You may hear a harmless buzzing sound from your hearing aids as you walk through the airport metal detector.
  • When traveling by air, wearing your hearing aids during the flight is your choice. Keep in mind that an airplane’s engines are loud, so you may have difficulty hearing conversation. Keep a hearing aid case with you if you need to take your hearing aids out.

 Reminder: Use extra caution while traveling because your hearing aids could be more easily lost or damaged when you are out of your daily routine.Top ↑

Feedback

When a hearing aid whistles or chirps, it is called feedback. It is normal to experience feedback when:

  • The microphone is covered by your hand, a hat, a high-backed chair, etc.
  • The hearing aid and/or earmold is not inserted properly.
  • The battery is low.
  • The manual volume control is turned to its maximum setting.
  • There is excessive ear wax in your ear canal.
  • The hearing aid is not in your ear, but is turned on.

Feedback is not normal when:

  • The hearing aid and/or earmold is inserted properly and nothing is near the microphone.
  • The manual volume control is positioned at your normal setting.

If you are concerned that the feedback you are experiencing is not normal, please contact the Allegiance Hearing Center for an appointment with your audiologist. Top ↑

Churches and movie theaters

Many churches and movie theaters offer assistive listening devices for the public free of charge. For example, the Jackson 10 movie theater offers amplified headsets. (Note: amplified headsets should not be worn with your hearing aids.) Top ↑

MRIs, CT scans and X-rays

Before tests such as MRI, CT or X-rays, you should tell the health care provider that you are wearing hearing aids and remove them prior to having these types of tests because your hearing aids could be damaged from exposure to the strong magnetic fields. Top ↑

Dental appointments

You may find your appointment at the dentist more enjoyable by removing your hearing aids, as their powered hand tools may be uncomfortably loud. You may also find it uncomfortable to have your mouth open for a long period of time due to the discomfort caused in your ear canal with your hearing aids in. If in doubt, remove your hearing aids and place them in their case. Top ↑

Salon or barber appointments

You should remove your hearing aids while having your hair cut, colored, shaved, sprayed, styled or shampooed. When at the salon or barber, you should place your hearing aids in their case. Top ↑

At-home hearing rehabilitation programs

The Listening And Communication Enhancement (LACE) program helps to improve your listening skills. Just as physical therapy can help rebuild muscles, LACE will help you develop skills and strategies to deal with difficult listening situations. LACE is an interactive, computerized at-home program that uses your home computer or DVD player through self-guided “lessons” to improve listening skills. Your audiologist can provide you with more information about the LACE program. Top ↑

Battery information

Battery Life

Battery life depends on several things:

  • The size of the battery
  • How your hearing aid is programmed
  • The volume you chose (if applicable)
  • The listening environments your hearing aids are amplifying

Most batteries available today are zinc-air batteries. Before using a zinc-air battery, you must remove the sticker so that the air can activate it.

You should open the battery door when you are not using your hearing aids to help prolong battery life. This will also help to reduce internal corrosion of your hearing aids. Top ↑

Helpful Hint:

You can put the hearing aid battery sticker on your calendar to keep track of how many days your batteries last.

 

These estimates are based on 8 hours of hearing aid use each day.
Battery size Average life*
10 3-5 days
312 7-9 days
13 10-14 days
675 14-16 days

Purchasing Hearing Aid Batteries

Hearing aid battery packages are color coded according to the size of the battery.

Size and Sti Color on Package & Sticker
10 Yellow
312 Brown
13 Orange
675 Blue

You may purchase your hearing aid batteries at the Allegiance Hearing Center. We have a Battery Club, allowing you to receive the 11th battery card free after purchasing 10. Several local grocery, variety and electronic stores also sell hearing aid batteries.

The Allegiance Hearing Center can mail packages of batteries to your home for an additional fee. Please contact us for further details regarding this service. Top ↑

Battery Storage

Keep all batteries in a cool, dry place. Avoid extreme hot and cold temperatures. Do not store batteries where they will touch each other. Do not store batteries in anything metal, such as foil or tin containers. Your hearing aid case is a good storage place for batteries. Top ↑

Proper Disposal of Hearing Aid Batteries

Do not throw your hearing aid batteries in the garbage or fire. Zinc-air batteries contain a hazardous material that, if dumped in a landfill, can release harmful chemicals into the environment. Hearing aid batteries should instead be recycled. During recycling, the toxic material is removed and re-sold. The remainder of the battery is then safely discarded.

 The Allegiance Hearing Center will gladly recycle your used batteries for you. You may drop off the batteries at our clinic any time during normal business hours. Top ↑

Helpful Hint:

You might find it helpful to keep your used batteries in a Ziploc bag, a clean jar with a lid or an old pill bottle with the label removed.

Battery Warnings

Hearing aid batteries are toxic if they are swallowed. Swallowing a battery is harmful both to humans and to pets.

Important safety reminders:

  • Do not carry around loose batteries. Store batteries in the package until you are ready to use them.
  • Do not store batteries in the same place as medications.
  • Keep batteries in a safe place, away from children, pets and people with mental disabilities.

 If someone accidentally swallows a hearing aid battery, you should immediately contact the 24/7 National Poison Control Center at: (800) 456-7707. The Poison Control Center will advise you what to do next. Calling 911 is another option if a battery is swallowed.

Symptoms of accidental battery ingestion may include:

  • Coughing
  • Vomiting
  • Refusal of food
  • Showing other symptoms without the problem being discovered Top ↑