These days, it’s easier than ever to skip out on exercising.?You can’t go to the gym because everything is shut down. You’re too tired and stressed from the current state of the world. You don’t have the necessary equipment for a good workout.?And so on. You need to recognize these as the excuses that they are. And while you’re at it, don’t let your hearing aids become yet another reason to skip the workout. Provided you properly care for the devices, they’ll be just fine no matter what you end up doing. You must stay active with your hearing aids.
Naturally, the chief concern here is keeping your hearing aids dry, especially given the amount of sweat that can be generated from even light exercise. Aside from simply not wearing your hearing aids while you exercise, you can try using a sweat resistant material covering that prevents sweat from reaching the internal circuitry no matter how much you push yourself.
It’s important to note that although they’re sweat resistant, these coverings aren’t waterproof ? sorry, but you probably can’t (and shouldn’t) take your hearing aids deep sea diving.?
Sweat isn’t the only issue when it comes to exercising with hearing aids, of course. Even?the?best-fitted?digital hearing aids?can fall out during a more physical exercise session. If you’re playing football, you?d rather not be forced to comb the field desperately and hope no one steps on your devices in the meantime.?
The solution here is surprisingly simple. Just wear a headband or headband. As an added bonus, they don’t just keep your hearing aid from going flying. They also help protect it from sweat while also keeping it out of your eyes.?
If you’re engaged in any form of exercise that requires activity-specific clothing (such as a bike helmet), you’ll also want to ensure your gear is sized correctly. Otherwise, you run the risk of either dislodging the hearing aid or creating uncomfortable pressure or irritation. You might also consider purchasing clip devices that keep your hearing aid in place.
Even if you have multiple measures in place to safeguard your hearing aid against moisture, caring for it post-exercise is still a good idea. Make hearing aid maintenance part of your regular post-workout cleanup routine. Eventually, the process will start to feel like second nature.?
And if, by some unfortunate turn of events, you’ve managed to get your hearing aid wet, don’t panic. Just clean them carefully, and set them in a dry box ? a specialized gadget designed to eliminate moisture in hearing assistance devices. Better yet, by storing your hearing aids in this manner, you’re also inhibiting bacterial growth.
Many dry boxes also feature a sanitization method for hearing aids, as well.?
Ultimately, being able to hear your surroundings during exercise is not just an asset for your performance but can also be crucial to staying safe. The good news is that with a bit of planning, non-aquatic forms of exercise are quite easy to enjoy. Just invest the necessary time to care for your hearing aids and take the required precautions to protect them both before and after each workout session.?
About the Author:
Pauline Dinnauer is the VP of Audiological Care at Connect Hearing, which provides industry-leading hearing loss, hearing testing, and hearing aid consultation across the US.
