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On mobile, wait a tiny bit until you drag the color drop.Using hearing aids as a bushwalker
Hearing aids are also a relatively common piece of equipment among bushwalkers. Great to hear other people and be part of the social experience of bushwalking as well as hearing all of the wonderful sounds in nature like bird calls, frog calls and so on.
Things to be careful about:
- Keep them clean.
- Adjust settings to suit surroundings and background noise interference – i.e. wind noise (see https://deserthearingcare.com/blog/hiking-and-hearing-aids).
- Store them away safely at night and when you aren’t using them.
- Carry spare batteries.
- Keep them dry: water damage can be detrimental to hearing aids, so always carry something with you that you can dry hearing aids overnight (moisture build up from sweat and dampness during the day https://deserthearingcare.com/blog/hiking-and-hearing-aids. If you are caught in rain it is best to remove hearing aids and place them in a waterproof container. If you cannot do this, keep them as dry as possible using a broad brimmed hat and rain jacket with hood. It is possible to purchase water resistant hearing aids, so if you are frequently in wet conditions, this may be an option. Or alternatively using a protective wrapping.
HearingDirect recommends the following actions if your hearing aid gets wet:
- Use a dehumidifier for hearing aids during the night when you do not wear them. There are plenty of types available and you can ask your audiologist to recommend you some if you are unsure which one to choose. Popular devices are Amplicomms Dry Boxes and the Dry & Store to remove moisture.
- Open the battery door, take out the battery and leave it to dry naturally. You can use a soft tissue to absorb visible moisture.
- Turn to your audiologist for advice or take the hearing aid to a specialist as soon as you can to prevent further or irreversible damage.
Under no conditions use a hair dryer or put your hearing aid in a microwave or an oven.
Other resources:
https://brentwoodhearingcenter.com/blog/tips-for-hiking-with-hearing-aids
https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-116904.html
https://hikeitbaby.com/blog/hiking-with-hearing-loss/