Rechargeable hearing aids are manufactured so that you’ll have to stress less about losing battery power, but the technology might also make you slightly anxious when you depend 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 a vital part of one’s day-to-day life, as necessary for a quick visit to the grocery store as they are for the enjoyment of a movie or television show. It’s essential that a piece of technology functions properly and reliably, especially when it affects so many aspects of life.

How Do I Know What Kind of Battery I Have?

Most contemporary hearing aids have 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 might need to be replaced every now and then. A Lithium-ion battery, however, will not have a battery door because the batteries will last as long as the hearing aid does.

How to Care For Your Rechargeable Hearing Aid

For the most part, rechargeable hearing aids do work, and they work well. As battery technology has advanced in the last several years, the dependability of these devices has increased considerably. As with any other electronic device, however, there are some easy maintenance procedures that users can practice to improve the reliability of their rechargeable hearing aids.

• Put Your Hearing Aids on The Charging Station: If your hearing aids have rechargeable batteries, you can extend the battery life of your device by making sure that you consistently store your hearing aids on their charging station. Charging a battery that is not fully drained does not shorten the long term life of your battery. In fact, you can actually increase the battery life by making certain your hearing aids are charging while not in use. For many people, setting their charging station beside their bed is a convenient reminder to charge the devices when it’s not being used.
• Be Careful of Wires: Most hearing aids will contain a wire element of some kind, either on the charging station or on the hearing aids themselves. Being mindful of these wires is important for hearing aid users; the connection that allows the device to charge can be damaged if you pull on or hold it by the wires.
• Keep Your Hearing Aids Clean and Dry: Your hearing aids will collect moisture, dust, and debris regardless of how often you use them. Your hearing aid might not thoroughly charge if it is subjected to any of these three things. That’s why it’s essential to keep your hearing aids clean and dry especially when connecting your hearing aid to its charging station.

How to Replace a Rechargeable Battery

Lithium-ion batteries should last the as long as your device does. So replacing those batteries shouldn’t be something you ever have to worry about. Your hearing aids can then be simply charged as long as necessary.

Hearing aids that depend on silver-zinc batteries, however, may call for new batteries now and then. Switching batteries in the correct way can help increase the lifespan of your hearing aids. Because of this, hearing experts suggest the following:

• Don’t remove any packaging or plastic tabs until you’re ready to use batteries.
• Make certain you have a dry, room temperature spot to store your batteries.
• Five minutes before taking off any tabs that might be attached let the batteries sit at room temperature.
• Ensure you wash your hands before replacing your hearing aid batteries.
• Clean and free of moisture is the state that your battery compartment should be kept in.

Long Periods of Non-Use

Leaving your hearing aids on the charger over long periods of time is no longer the way to store your hearing aids. If, for instance, you know that you will not be wearing your hearing aids for a few weeks or months, you can simply unplug the charger and put your hearing aids in a dry and cool spot.

If your hearing aids utilize silver-zinc batteries, you may also consider leaving the battery door open so that you can prevent moisture from corroding your batteries.

Keep it Charged Every Day

All your basic needs should be met if you charge your hearing aids once a day. A lithium-ion battery, as an example, will usually require just 3-4 hours to charge adequate battery power for a 24 hour period.

Do rechargeable hearing aids work? They don’t only work, they are becoming more common every day. Schedule an appointment with your local hearing aid retailer to see all the different models