By Laura McLean
Device and ear maintenance are essential to ensure that hearing assistive technology devices work to the best of their ability. A basic clearing device for moulds and tubes that can clog with wax is vital and can make a big difference, providing relief and comfort. You can be amazed by the clarity of sound before and after clearing, but it’s only one part of the puzzle. Audiologists usually recommend a number of general maintenance tips right after you receive your Hearing Assistive Technology (HAT), but here is my system, made by someone who uses HAT herself.
Step 1: Dealing with Wax Build Up
While the device should be clean and clear, it is also important that the initial cause is dealt with first. Wax is a considerable problem when you wear hearing aids and is not often discussed. Hearing Aids clog the ear canal daily and do not let the wax come out naturally, so they must be cleared. The difficulty of day-to-day wax build up in the ear canal is uncomfortable and itching. It also clogs the canal so you can’t hear anything at all. Prior to me knowing this, I struggled a lot with understanding muffled sound in classes due to the wax build-up. It wasn’t until I dealt with it that I realized how big of a problem it actually was for me.
Q-tip Warning: The most critical part of this process is NOT to use a Q-tip! This knowledge will help you to make the right choices for your ear health. A doctor can help with other suggestions on how to remove wax from your ears but making sure nothing risky goes into your ear canal is essential to make sure that your ear drum is not disturbed. Q-tips, in particular, can push wax deeper into the ear canal and cause pain and damage to the canal, so if you are going to use Q-tips, make sure it is only on the outer ear. I can be guilty of doing this once in a while, but like I tell my family and friends – it can do more harm than good!
Step 2: Cleaning your Hearing Device
As a user, you play a crucial role in ensuring your hearing devices remain in tip-top shape. Our E-Store has several products that can assist you in making sure you are doing this right. The Cleaning Kit, for instance, has several tools that help maintain that fresh feeling and clean hearing sound by removing all the wax that builds up over time. The cleaning kit will help soften and remove the wax you could not remove otherwise. I know having a clean hearing aid is extra satisfying after having a wax-filled one. The hearing aid feels better and and the sound is so much better. It sometimes feels like a new device all together because the build up clogs so much.
Step 3: Drying your Hearing Device
After cleaning, it is also important that you dry the mould and tubing properly. The B-Dry Dry Box makes sure that this part of the hearing device gets thoroughly dry and taken care of. Dry devices are less likely to become blocked.
Step 4: Find What Works for You
Build-up and blockages depend on the individual and the environment they are in. The summers can cause a soft ear wax, which, with the proper removal, can be quite easy to remove from the hearing device and the ear, while winter months can be a bit more difficult. A lack of moisture hardens wax, and that’s when it can become itchy and harder to remove. The proper tools that can remove the wax build-up are very useful as build-up can happen very slowly. Ear hygiene is a very important part of maintaining a healthy and helpful relationship with your hearing journey, and while not talked about a lot, it is important to know.
All in all, ear hygiene is an essential part of anyone’s hearing journey, but in particular, for people wearing Hearing Assistive Technology as blockages happen more frequently. I know that products like our Cleaning Kit and B-Dry Dry Box are very helpful in maintaining a clear and healthy sound. They help me day to day with my hearing hygiene and they can help you too.
