AROUND 3 million people in the UK are hearing aid users. With the high temperatures this week, RNID are encouraging hearing aid users to give their devices some extra TLC during the hot weather so they can soak up the sunshine without missing out on conversations.

Hearing aids can malfunction in the heat due to trapped sweat, humidity and direct sun exposure. RNID’s top five tips for hearing aid users during a heatwave:

Avoid leaving your hearing aids in direct sunlight, such as on a windowsill, high temperatures can cause them to become damaged.

If your hearing aids do get wet, use a hearing aid drying kit to help remove moisture. Hearing aids can be safely left in the kit overnight, when not in use, to help dry them out.

Use hearing aid protection sleeves or sweat-wicking headbands to catch moisture to avoid damaging the hearing aid microphones.

Wait for suncream or sprays to dry before wearing your hearing aids. The oils from these products can clog up the hearing aids microphones and cause them not to work.

Clean your hearing aids frequently, wipe them with a clean, dry cloth every time you take them out.

Franki Oliver

Audiology Manager at RNID