Hearing aid fails in high humidity

I’ve had Costco behind the ear hearing aids for five years, and am reasonably content. I got them in part to better hear birds, and they really have been a vast improvement for me. But a problem is that in high humidity environments (and I do sweat), they turn off very quickly, presumably just shorting out from my head sweating. Costco just says “that will happen.” Are there any types of HAs or other tricks that would reduce this problem?

Ear Gear and some type of Drying Kit.

Dry and Store is a brand of drying box and Costco sell one, Perfect Dry Lux.

I agree with @Zebras, you need to take preventative measures. Cutting out is caused by moisture, so you need to put your aids in a good dry box every night. This will hopefully dry out the moisture for you. The dry box that Zebras suggested is a very good one, you need to invest in one.

What brand and model hearing aids do you have?
RIC type aids were bad about cutting out from sweat for me but BTE aids always did well.
I always used a Dry & Store hearing aid dryer every night. My aids were always reliable doing this.

YEARS ago, the Starkey aids I trialled did the same thing at the gym. Any amount of contact with sweat from my skin or hair, and they’d start shifting into programs randomly like a mad dog.

Now it could be that your current aids aren’t as good at protecting against that kind of humidity or moisture, but that would make me wonder as Raudrive asks, “What model/make are these?” Also, if they are FIVE years old, consider getting a new pair - right at Costco. Maybe the newer aids do a better job?

I use EarGear for trips to the salon when my stylist manages to PAINT the dang bean in its sock no matter how “careful” she is; I often put the aids in this UV/dryer - but NOT nightly as I used to do with my battery operated aids!

Bugs me blind that I’m obsessed with CHARGING the rechargeables up - and forget about sanitation or drying them out. It shouldn’t be this way, but the Phonak Lumity Life aids do NOT have a charging base that also provides UV and drying. DOH.

I THINK they are Rexton KS.8. I don’t see the word rexton but I see something like KS80. I have a drying box but rarely use it, as I never detected a benefit. I surprises me that the HA starting out drier would make a difference when I’m wet behind the ear. Are in ear HAs more likely to be successful?

KS8 aids were pretty good hearing aids from what I have read. They are RIC type hearing aids, not BTE aids. For me the receiver and dome that goes into the ear would get wet easily from sweating. I could take the aid out and shake the sweat off and was good to go until it happened again.

Curious. Don’t Ear Gear cause whistle? Like you sit close to the hard surface/wall and it will scream.

Nope! Not one bit of whistle when the EarGear is slipped over that bean behind the ear. What IS annoying however, is that it’s difficult to change programs cuz now I’m squeezing the slippery little bean through the SOX! Augh! I sometimes have to remove the aid, slip the sox UP a bit, change the program on the aid, slide the sox back down and put the aid back in.

Also, even tho that EarGear sox gets SOAKED with hair dye, I never get one smidge of it on the aid! The fabric is like teflon. Allows mics to work, no whistle, and no soak-through! :smiley:

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Oh, I always use smartphone app to change the program. So this will be no issues for me. I should try out EarGear one because it claim that reduce wind noise. Really interesting.

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I rarely wear my aids without ear gear covers or sweatband covers.

Thanks, guys. I had never heard of Ear Gear. The adds talk about changing to a new pair when the ones you’re wearing get too wet. Is that people’s experience, i.e. need to have multiple sets if you’re going to be outside in humidity for a few hours?

It’s probably not a bad idea if the EarGear sox are truly SOAKED. But I’ve never had to swap mine. O’course I’m only wearing them to the salon, where they get slapped silly with HAIR DYE.

These puppies aren’t cheap, but I simply HAVE to wear aids in the salon for 1.5 hrs, and so I do have 2 pairs of totally painted-with-hair-dye EarGear - in dark BROWN to match my own hair. :wink:

@Bob_F

Use a dryer each night without fail and you won’t need multiple set of Aids.

I’ve dinghy sailed in my Aids regularly and use a Dry and Store and they have been soaked / dunked but have always worked.

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