Many people who wear hearing aids are incredibly active. And since that activity can span from high-intensity water sports to simple increases of moisture and sweat during golf or hiking, how might that impact your hearing aids? If increased exercise is on your radar this time of year, Dr. Stacy Chalmers, Au.D. shares helpful tips for using your hearing aids during physical activity. Watch more Q&As, then schedule your appointment with us at either our Bloomington or Pontiac locations.
Justin in Bloomington asks, “Should you wear your hearing aids during intense physical activity like exercising?” Well, it does depend on the type of activity. You want to make sure, if you’re VERY active, that you choose a style that is secure on your ear. Most hearing aids are NOT waterproof, so you do have to be careful if you’re doing any type of water activity. Although there are SOME waterproof hearing aids and very moisture-resistant hearing aids now, they still shouldn’t get soaking wet. There are dehumidifiers that you can use that are fairly inexpensive that can help dry-out the hearing aids. They also make covers that can help protect your hearing aids. Many people CAN successfully use their hearing aids while they’re exercising, and enjoy it even more so now that they can Bluetooth stream into the hearing aids. So you can listen to podcasts or music while you’re exercising. In fact, many times, it is actually better to use them while you’re exercising, especially if you’re communicating with someone else, or needing to hear important sounds around you. We can help make sure you’re successful in doing that, and that it’s less risky, by helping you choose the best style, and using maybe a dehumidifier, for example, just to help make sure the hearing aid keeps working properly. Hope that helps! If you have more questions, let us know. I’m Dr. Stacy Chalmers from Bloomington-Normal Audiology, and we’re ‘hear’ for you.