Caring for Hearing Aids in the Cold
by Lindsay B. Robinson, HIA Program Manager
January 15, 2025
As we head toward the midpoint of winter, many of us will continue to bundle up for at least the next couple of months before we can shed those extra layers. While preparing for your daily activities or a winter vacation, be sure to give some extra thought to your hearing aids. Cold weather, moisture, and fluctuating temperatures can affect the performance of your devices, but with some extra care, you can stay safely connected. Here are some tips to best protect your hearing technology and stay comfortably connected:
- Keep Your Ears Warm: If your ears are cold, then so are your hearing aids. Cold temperatures can cause moisture to build up in your hearing aids which may be damaging. Keep a beanie, breathable but secure earmuffs or sweatband, or a scarf wrapped around your head and ears to keep devices from getting too cold.
- Keep Spare Batteries or Your Charger With You: Whether your hearing aids take batteries or are rechargeable, be sure to keep a power source with you. Winter temps can drain batteries quicker than normal.
- Use Caution When Adjusting or Removing Hats or Winter Wear: Adjusting articles of clothing near your ears can cause your hearing aid to be pulled, flung, or lost. Be careful not to damage or lose your hearing aids when trying to bundle up or losing some layers! Many hearing aids come with a “Find My Hearing Aid” feature which, if you have a smartphone, can help you locate your hearing aid(s). Be sure to speak with your hearing care professional or read your hearing aid manual to be familiar with locating a lost hearing aid.
- Give Them a Break: If possible when coming back indoors, remove your hearing aids and let them warm up and dry out. If they take batteries, open the battery door to allow moisture to escape. If they are rechargeable, you can wipe them with a dry cloth. Hearing aid dehumidifiers can also be purchased from hearing care professionals and online to ensure damaging moisture is sufficiently removed.
- Keep Up With Your Daily Clean: To prolong the life of hearing aids, it’s important to clean your hearing aids on a daily basis. Your hearing aid manual and hearing care professional can help guide you through easy methods of keeping your hearing aids clean.
If you notice sound distortion, reverberations, or no sound coming from your hearing aid at all, contact your hearing care professional to have them diagnose the issue. Winter can be a time to have fun and explore as long as we take proper precautions both for ourselves and our vital technology!
Have questions or need troubleshooting? Contact your hearing healthcare provider or visit Find a Professional to locate help near you.
