Rechargeable hearing aids are designed so that you’ll need to worry less about losing battery power, but the technology might also make you slightly nervous when you rely on your devices to hear. Do rechargeable hearing aids work, and do they work as well as advertised?
Those questions are reasonable, as is the accompanying anxiety. A hearing aid is often as important for the enjoyment of a TV show or a movie as it is for a trip to the grocery store or any other part of everyday life. It’s essential that a piece of technology functions correctly and reliably, especially when it impacts so many aspects of life.
How Do I Know What Type of Battery I Have?
Most modern hearing aids are equipped with rechargeable batteries by default, so it’s likely if you bought your hearing aids recently, it has one of two types of batteries. Silver-zinc batteries, which have a battery door on the back, are rechargeable, but the batteries may have to be changed every so often. A Lithium-ion battery, however, will not have a battery door because the batteries will last as long as the hearing aid does.
Rechargeable Hearing Aids Need Special Care
For the most part, rechargeable hearing aids do work, and they work well. The dependability of these devices has enhanced considerably in the last few years, as battery technologies have improved. And, like 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.
- Keep Your Hearing Aids on The Charging Station: If your hearing aids have rechargeable batteries, you can increase the battery life of your device by ensuring that you consistently store your hearing aids on their charging station. Charging a battery that is not totally drained does not diminish long-term battery life. As a matter of fact, making sure that your hearing aids are charging when you’re not using them can actually boost your long-term battery life. For many people, setting their charging station next to their bed is a convenient reminder to charge the devices when not in use.
- Be Careful of Wires: Either the hearing aid itself or the charging station will contain some kind of wire element on most hearing aids. Most hearing aid users are advised to be mindful of these wires; the connection that enables the device to charge can be broken if you pull on or hold it by the wires.
- Keep Your Hearing Aids Clean and Dry: Your hearing aids will collect debris, dust, and moisture regardless of how often you use them. Any combination of these three things can diminish the capacity of your battery and can interfere with charging in sufficient quantities. That’s why it’s important to keep your hearing aids dry and clean specifically when connecting your hearing aid to its charging station.
How to Change a Rechargeable Battery
If you have lithium-ion batteries, they should last as long as your device does. Consequently, you shouldn’t need to worry about changing those batteries. Your hearing aids can then be simply charged as long as necessary.
However, you will need to occasionally change the batteries if you have a hearing aid that utilizes silver-zinc batteries. The longevity of your battery can be improved by replacing them in the right way. As a result, most people who use these hearing aids are counseled to:
- Don’t eliminate any packaging or plastic tabs until you’re ready to use batteries.
- Make sure you have a dry, room temperature place to keep your batteries.
- Five minutes before taking off any tabs that might be attached let the batteries sit at room temperature.
- Confirm that your battery compartment is free of moisture and clean.
- Before replacing batteries, make sure you wash your hands.
Non-Use For Long Periods
If you are planning not to use your hearing aids for long periods of time, leaving them on the charger might no longer be the best manner to store your devices. If, for example, you know that you won’t be using your hearing aids for a few weeks or months, you can just unplug the charger and store your hearing aids in a cool and dry spot.
Consider leaving the battery door open so you can prevent moisture from corroding the batteries if you use silver-zinc batteries.
Keep it Charged Every Day
For most people, and for everyday use, charging your hearing aids once per day should be adequate for all of your needs. A lithium-ion battery, as an example, will typically require only 3-4 hours to charge adequate battery power for a 24 hour period.
Do rechargeable hearing aids work? Not only do they work, but rechargeable hearing aids will most likely become more and more common and reliable as the technology continues to develop. Contact your local hearing aid retailer to see all the different models