You love 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 swim). The water seems a little…louder… than normal today. And then you recognize your oversight: you went into the pool with your hearing aid in. And you aren’t entirely sure those little electronic devices are waterproof.
In the majority of scenarios, you’re right to be a bit worried. Hearing aids are frequently constructed with some amount of water resistance in mind. But being resistant to water is not the same as actually being waterproof.
Hearing aids and water resistance ratings
Keeping your hearing aids dry and clean is the best way to keep them in good working order. But some hearing aids are designed 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.
Here’s how the IP rating works: every device is assigned a two-digit number. The device’s resistance to dust, sand, and other kinds of dry erosion is represented by the first number.
The second number (and the one we’re really considering here) represents how resistant your device is to water. The higher the number, the longer the device will last under water. So a device that has a rating of IP87 will be very resistant to sand and work for about thirty minutes in water.
Some modern hearing aids can be really water-resistant. But there are no hearing aids currently available that are completely waterproof.
Is water resistance worthwhile?
The advanced electronics inside your hearing aid case aren’t going to do well with water. Ordinarily, you’ll want to take out your hearing aids before you go swimming or hop in the shower or depending on the IP rating, sit outside in excessively humid weather. If you drop your hearing aid in the deep end of the pool, a high IP rating won’t help much, but there are other scenarios where it can be useful:
- You enjoy boating or other water activities that generate over-spray
- There have been occasions when you’ve forgotten to remove your hearing aids before going into the rain or shower
- If you live in a fairly humid, rainy, or wet climate
- If you have a heavy sweating issue
This list is just the tip of the iceberg. It’ll be up to you and your hearing specialist to take a look at your day-to-day life and identify just what sort of water resistance is strong enough for your life.
You have to care for your hearing aids
It’s worthwhile to mention that water-resistant does not mean maintenance-free. You will want to keep your hearing aids clean and dry.
You might, in some circumstances, need to purchase a dehumidifier. But in most cases, a nice dry storage place will work fine (depending on where you live). But some types of moisture can leave residue (like sweat), 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 there’s no such thing as a waterproof hearing aid, should you panic when your devices get wet? Mostly because panicking never helps 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.
How much damage your hearing aid has sustained can be estimated based on the IP rating. If you can avoid getting your hearing aids wet, you will get the best results. The drier your hearing devices remain, the better.
