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Patient Education : Hearing Aids - A Guide to Selection, Wear and Care

	1- Anyone Can Have Hearing Loss	5- Getting Your Hearing Aid
	2- How You Hear	6- Caring For Your Hearing Aid
	3- Your Hearing Evaluation	7- Living With Your New Hearing Aid
	4- Types of Hearing Aids	8- Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs)
		9- Resources

Hearing Aids - A Guide to Selection, Wear and Care

Page 6

Caring For Your Hearing Aid

The audiologist or hearing aid specialist will show you how to use your aid properly and how to care for it. This may take several visits during the trial period. Stay in touch with your audiologist or hearing aid specialist and discuss any problems. Be sure to ask questions if you need more information.

Daily Cleaning

Follow the instructions for regular cleaning provided by the manufacturer of your hearing aid.
Wipe the aid with a soft cloth or tissue.
Never immerse the hearing aid in water or use any cleaning solvents.

Controlling Earwax

Earwax can plug your hearing aid and interfere with sound transmission. Wax that gets inside the aid can also cause the electronic parts to fail and may require expensive repair.
Your hearing aid specialist will show you how to clean the wax out and can suggest several types of wax guards that prevent buildup.
If you have excessive wax production, you may need to have your doctor remove the wax from your ear at least once a year.

Changing Batteries

Your hearing aid specialist will show you how to change the batteries correctly. Don't force the tiny batteries in.
Batteries last from 5 days to a couple of weeks, depending on their size and use.
Keep a small supply of fresh batteries on hand. Some types of hearing aid batteries fail suddenly. Others run down slowly.
Learn how to dispose of used batteries properly. Keep them out of the reach of children and pets. If swallowed or inhaled, they can cause serious injury.

Special Precautions

Your hearing aid is a delicate piece of equipment. Care for it as you would a fine watch or camera.
Do not expose it to water while bathing or swimming or to extreme heat or cold.
Protect the unit from small children who may drop, mishandle, or even swallow it.
Do not leave it where it can be found by pets. Dogs find the high-pitched sound attractive and can quickly destroy an aid.
You may wish to ask your hearing aid specialist about insurance to cover any damage or loss that occurs after the warranty expires.

This information is not intended as a substitute for professional health care. (c)1995, 1998 The StayWell Company, 1100 Grundy Lane, San Bruno, CA 94066-3030. (800) 333-3032. All rights reserved. Lithographed in Canada. Krames Communications. Consultants: Philip Bartlett, MD Lawrence M. Eng, MS, CCC-A Contributions By Robert Harris, MD Alison Grimes, MA CCC-A

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