Reducing Pesky Hearing Aid Repairs

 

We place hearing aids into warm and wet environments that have the charming addition of earwax. There is little doubt these are contributing factors for hearing aid blockage, corrosion and electronic breakdown -- an unfortunate fact of life with hearing aids.
This phenomena is the target of millions of research dollars. The aim of the research is to come up with design solutions that will prolong the life of hearing aids and to minimize the number of repairs.

 

This article describes:

  1. New innovations that hearing aid manufacturer’s have developed to minimize the effect wax and moisture have on hearing aids.
  2. Available solutions that have worked in the past.

New Technology

  1. Replaceable microphone covers for behind the ear hearing aids. The microphones become clogged with hair oil, dirt from fingers, flakes of skin, rain water, or occasional trips into the shower. Two of the manufacturers have come up with covers that can be replaced here in the clinic (Siemens & ReSound). Phonak and Unitron have developed covers that can be changed easily by clients themselves. They are little pieces of foam or plastic that fit over the microphone. When they become clogged, the hearing aids sound “muffled” as the high frequencies are lost and immediately sound clear when the old filter is removed. The hearing aid is OK without the filter for a short time.
  2. Replaceable hooks for behind the ear hearing aids. Phonak has produced a line of hearing aids with hooks that can be replaced easily. They have a good filter in them which blocks up easily with moisture, but keeps the moisture out of the hearing aid.
  3. Siemens and Phonak have developed wax guards for in-the-ear hearing aids with a high tech film that goes across the opening where the sound comes out of the hearing aid. The film lets sound through but blocks moisture and water from going into the hearing aid. The film can be cleaned by wiping with a cloth or Kleenex and changed by the client. They have to be specially installed when the hearing aid is built.
  4. Many of the manufacturers are developing hearing aids made of water repellant material to keep moisture out of the aids and thus resist corrosion.


Previously Developed Technology

  1. Dri-Aid Kits create an enclosed space containing silicone crystals that absorb moisture from hearing aids. The crystals need to be rejeuvenated on a regular basis by heating in an oven or microwave.
  2. Dry 'n Store works in a similar fashion to the Dri-Aid kits except that they have a fan that circulates the air and a light that kills bacteria.
  3. Super seals are a 'balloon like' cover for hearing aids that keep water off the hearing aid. They are primarily used when hearing aids are around a lot of water.
  4. Hearing Aid Sweat Bands are a cloth material that goes over hearing aids and absorb sweat.
  5. Special dental floss cleans wax and moisture from tubing.
    Continued research has certainly increased our options and we welcome their efforts to reduce the number of frustrating and costly repairs.

 

Jencam