Rechargeable hearing aids are manufactured so that you’ll need to stress less about losing battery power, but the technology may also make you slightly anxious when you depend on your devices to hear. Do rechargeable hearing aids work as well as marketed or do they even work at all?
Those questions are reasonable, as is the accompanying anxiety. A hearing aid is often as necessary for the enjoyment of a tv show or a movie as it is for a trip to the supermarket or any other part of daily life. When a piece of technology affects so many areas of your life, it’s essential that it work correctly and dependably.
What Type of Battery do I Have?
Most modern-day hearing aids have rechargeable batteries by default, so if you purchased your hearing aids recently it’s likely that your hearing aids will have one of two battery types. Silver-zinc batteries, which have a battery door on the back of the device, are rechargeable, but every so often they have to be replaced. A Lithium-ion battery, however, will last for the duration of the life-cycle of the hearing device and, because of that, those devices will not have that distinguishing battery door.
How to Care For Your Rechargeable Hearing Aid
For the most part, rechargeable hearing aids do work, and they work well. The reliability of these devices has enhanced significantly in the last several years, as battery technologies have improved. As with any other electronic device, however, there are a few easy maintenance steps that users can take to increase the reliability of their rechargeable hearing aids.
- The Charging Station is Where Your Hearing Aids Should be Kept: If your hearing aids have rechargeable batteries, you can extend the battery life of your device by ensuring that you regularly store your hearing aids on their charging station. The long term battery life is not shortened by charging a battery that is not fully drained.As a matter of fact, you can actually improve the life of the battery by making sure your hearing aids are charging when not in use. A convenient reminder, for many people, to charge their device when not in use, is to set the charging station on a table near their bed.
- Keep Your Hearing Aids Clean and Dry: No matter how often you use or do not use your hearing aids, they have plenty of occasion to gather dust, debris, and moisture. Your hearing aid may not fully charge if it is exposed to any of these three things. When connecting your hearing aid to your charging station, as with any other time, it’s a must to keep your device clean.
- Be Mindful of Wires: Either the hearing aid itself or the charging station will have some type of wire element on most hearing aids. Being careful of these wires is crucial for hearing aid users; the connection that enables the device to charge can be broken if you pull on or hold it by the wires.
How to Change a Rechargeable Battery
Lithium-ion batteries will normally last the lifespan of your device. As a result, you shouldn’t have to worry about changing those batteries. Your hearing aids can then be simply charged as long as needed.
However, you will want to periodically replace the batteries if you have a hearing aid that uses silver-zinc batteries. The lifespan of your battery can be improved by replacing them in the correct way. As a result, most people who use these hearing aids are counseled to:
- Keep batteries in a room temperature spot that is also certain to be dry.
- Ensure you wash your hands before changing your hearing aid batteries.
- Clean and free of moisture is the state that your battery compartment should be kept in.
- Don’t get rid of any packaging or plastic tabs until you’re ready to use batteries.
- Let the batteries sit out at room temperature for at least five minutes before removing any tabs that might be attached.
Long Periods of Non-Use
Leaving your hearing aids on the charger for extended periods of time is no longer the way to store your hearing aids. Just unplug your hearing aid and store it in a dry cool spot if, for example, you know you won’t be using them for several weeks or a month.
If your hearing aids use silver-zinc batteries, you may also think about leaving the battery door open in order to stop moisture from corroding your batteries.
Rechargeable for Everyday Use
For most people, and for everyday use, charging your hearing aids once per day should be adequate for all of your requirements. To get 24 hours worth of battery life with a lithium-ion battery will usually only require 3-4 hours every day.
Do rechargeable hearing aids work? Not only do they work, but rechargeable hearing aids will likely become more and more common and dependable as the technology continues to develop. To see all the different models, get in touch with your local hearing aid retailer.