You love swimming and are all about being in the water. The pool is like your second home (when you were a kid, everybody said you were part fish–that’s how regularly you wanted to swim). Today, the water sounds a little… louder… than normal. And then you realize your oversight: you went into the pool with your hearing aid in. And you aren’t really certain those little electronic devices are waterproof.
In the majority of scenarios, you’re right to be a bit concerned. Normally, modern hearing aids are resistant to water to some degree. But a device that resists water is much different than a device that’s waterproof.
Water resistance ratings and hearing aids
Generally speaking, your hearing aids are going to work best when they are kept dry and clean. But some hearing aids are made so a little splatter here and there won’t be a problem. It all depends on something known as an IP rating–that’s the officially designated water resistance number.
The IP number works by giving every hearing aid a two digit number. The device’s resistance to dust, sand, and other types of dry erosion is delineated by the first number.
The number here that we’re really interested in though, is the second number which represents the device’s resistance to water. The device will last longer under water the greater this number is. So if a device has a rating of IP87 it will have very good resistance to dry erosion and will be ok under water for around a half hour.
Some modern hearing aids can be quite water-resistant. But there are no hearing aids currently available that are completely waterproof.
Is water resistance worthwhile?
The intricate electronics inside your hearing aid case won’t mesh well with water. Before you go swimming or into the shower you will definitely want to take out your hearing aid and depending on the IP rating, avoid using them in overly humid weather. No amount of water resistance will help if you drop your hearing aids in the deep end of a swimming pool, but there are some circumstances in which a high IP rating will definitely be advantageous:
- There have been times when you’ve forgotten to remove your hearing aids before going into the rain or shower
- If you sweat substantially, whether at rest or when exercising (sweat, after all, is a type of water)
- If the climate where you live is rainy or overly humid
- You have a proclivity for water sports (such as boating or fishing); the spray from the boat might warrant high IP rated hearing aids
This list is just a small sample. Naturally, what level of water resistance will be adequate for your day-to-day life will only be able to be identified after a consultation.
Your hearing aids need to be taken care of
Your hearing aid is not maintenance-free just because it’s resistant to water. You will want to keep your hearing aids dry and clean.
In some instances, that might mean purchasing a dehumidifier. But in most situations, a nice dry storage place will work fine (depending on where you live). And it will be necessary to thoroughly clean and remove any residue left behind by certain moistures including sweat.
If your hearing aids get wet, what should you do?
If waterproof hearing aids don’t exist, should you panic when your devices get wet? Well, no–mostly because panicking won’t improve anything anyway. But you need to give your hearing aids enough time to dry out entirely and if they have a low IP rating, we can help you determine if there is any damage.
How much damage your hearing aid has sustained can be approximated based on the IP rating. At least, try not to forget to remove your hearing aids before you go swimming. The drier your hearing devices remain, the better.