When you use hearing aids to improve your hearing, you want to do your part to get the most out of them. While you might receive advice on how to keep them dry, how to keep them from getting damaged, how to clean them, and how to store them at night, taking preventative steps to guard them from earwax can help prolong their life and help you experience your optimal hearing.
What Is a Hearing Aid Wax Guard?
A hearing aid wax guard is a small plastic screen that attaches to the hearing aid. By resting in the sound outlet, which is the part of the hearing aid that sits in the ear canal, its purpose is to protect the sound outlet and to prevent bits of earwax, moisture, dust, and debris from getting into the hearing aid. Hearing aid wax guards are even more important for hearing aids that are closer to the ear canal, such as completely-in-canal and invisible-in-canal aids. These hearing aids are more vulnerable to earwax build up and blockages and benefit extremely from the protection a hearing aid wax guard provides.
Why Would I Need a Hearing Aid Wax Guard?
While producing earwax is a completely natural and important part of protecting the inner ear, it can affect your hearing aids by getting trapped in the sound outlet or microphone opening, causing blockages. When this happens, your hearing aid might sound muffled or distorted. If moisture, dust, or wax infiltrates the hearing aid, it can become even more damaged or malfunction. Your audiologist may be able to help you get your hearing aids replaced, or make repairs, but taking preventative cautions, like using wax guards, can be much more cost-effective.
Are Hearing Aid Wax Guards Effective?
Hearing aid wax guards can be a very effective way to make sure that earwax and moisture don’t get into your hearing aids. They can also help to:
- Keep hearing sharp
- Prolong the lifespan of your hearing aids
- Reduce the risk of malfunction and damage to your hearing aids
- Prevent blockages in your hearing aids
By using hearing aid wax guards and taking the time to clean your hearing aids when you take them out at night, you can get the most out of your hearing aids, keep them from being damaged, and reduce your risk of infection.
How Long Do Wax Guards Last?
Wax guards do suffer from wear and tear over time. The more they are used, the more they might start to become less effective. In most cases, the wax guard is replaced once a month, but it might be replaced more often if you produce more earwax than others. Hearing aids can often cause extra earwax to generate more rapidly. If you are struggling to cope with extra earwax, an audiologist can help. If you start having problems with your hearing aids, or your hearing starts to appear muffled or muted, it might be time to check the wax guards and to consider replacing them.
Using hearing aid wax guards can be a great way to preserve the life of your hearing aids. If you would like to find out more, contact our audiologists to set up a consultation today.