You enjoy swimming and are all about being in the water. The pool is like your second home (when you were a kid, everyone said you were part fish–that’s how often you wanted to go swimming). The water seems a bit…louder… than normal today. And then you realize your oversight: you went in the pool with your hearing aid in. And you don’t know if it’s waterproof or not.
In the majority of cases, you’re right to be a bit worried. Hearing aids are often designed with some level of water resistance in mind. But a device that resists water is a lot different than a device that’s waterproof.
Hearing aids and water resistance ratings
Keeping your hearing aids dry and clean is the best way to keep them in proper working order. But for the majority of hearing aids, it won’t be a big deal if you get a little water on them. It all depends on something known as an IP rating–that’s the officially designated water resistance number.
Here’s how the IP rating works: every hearing aid is assigned a two-digit number. The first number signifies the device’s resistance against sand, dust, and other kinds of dry erosion.
The second digit (and the one we’re really interested in here) represents how resistant your hearing aid is to water. The device will last longer under water the greater this number is. So a device that has a rating of IP87 will be really resistant to sand and work for around thirty minutes in water.
Although there are no hearing aids presently available that are entirely waterproof, there are some that can have a high water resistance rating.
Is water resistance worthwhile?
Your hearing aids have sophisticated technology inside them which can be damaged by moisture. Ordinarily, you’ll want to take out your hearing aids before you go for a swim or jump in the shower or depending on the IP rating, sit outside in excessively humid weather. No level of water resistance will help if you drop your hearing aids in the deep end of the pool, but there are some situations where a high IP rating will definitely be advantageous:
- There have been times when you’ve forgotten to take your hearing aid out before going into the rain or shower
- If you live in a really humid, rainy, or wet climate
- If you have a heavy sweating issue
- You enjoy boating or other water activities that generate over-spray
This is certainly not an exhaustive list. Naturally, what degree of water resistance will be sufficient for your day-to-day life will only be able to be determined after a consultation.
You have to care for your hearing aids
Your hearing aid is not maintenance-free just because it’s water resistant. You will want to keep your hearing aids dry and clean.
You may, in some situations, need to purchase a dehumidifier. In other circumstances, it might just mean keeping your hearing aids in a nice dry place at night (it depends on your climate). But some kinds of moisture can leave residue (sweat among them), so to get the best results, you will also want to take the proper time to clean your hearing aids thoroughly.
What can you do if your hearing aids get wet?
If waterproof hearing aids don’t exist, should you panic when your devices get wet? Mostly because panicking never improves the situation anyway so it’s best to stay calm. But you will want to carefully allow your hearing aids to dry and consult with us to make sure that they aren’t damaged, particularly if they have a low IP rating.
The IP rating on your hearing device will give you a concept of what you can expect in terms of possible water damage. At least, try not to forget to remove your hearing aids before you go swimming. It’s best to keep your hearing aids as dry as possible.