Tips for extending battery life of hearing aids

Looking after both the batteries and your hearing aids will help extend the battery life span. Storing your hearing aid batteries properly is a good start. You should keep them in a dry place at room temperature where they won't be damaged by excess moisture or too much cold or heat.

Don’t take off the plastic tab from a battery until you are ready to use it. When you’re ready, make sure to use the oldest packet first.

When taking out a new battery, wash your hands first to avoid dirt transfer. Leave the battery sitting out for a few minutes to allow the zinc in it to activate. By waiting at least five minutes, you could get two or three more days out of your batteries.

When you're not wearing hearing aids, open up the battery compartment and leave open to allow moisture to escape. This will reduce any drain on the battery and prevent corrosion. If you won’t use your hearing aids for awhile, taking the batteries out might be best.

Be careful about when and where you wear them. Having them on while in the bathroom after someone has just had a steamy shower or wearing them in the sauna at the gym isn’t going to keep them safe.

If you notice that your batteries don't last as long as they used to, it might be because you've started using them differently. Perhaps you have started turning up the volume more or using some of the features more than usual. Have a hearing test to see if you need new hearing aids or if you need to change the settings.

Sometimes, the problems with hearing aid batteries might not be something that you can correct. Handling your batteries and hearing aids well can only do so much. There are occasions when you might need to get your hearing aids professionally repaired instead.

~Dr. Sarah Hickey, Au. D., is an audiologist and owner of Audiology Associates.