Most of what helps people hear well isn’t new technology. It’s small, everyday habits. They’re so simple that they rarely get talked about, and every week we see the difference they make, both to how well someone hears and to how well their hearing aids work.
Here are ten of them. The first five are about everyday care. The second five are the ones people are least often told.
1. Leave the cotton buds in the drawer
Your ears clean themselves. Wax isn’t dirt: it keeps the skin of the ear canal from drying out, traps dust, and helps protect against infection. It forms in the outer part of the canal and slowly moves outwards, a bit like a conveyor belt, helped along as you talk and chew. A cotton bud tends to push it back in, where it packs down against the eardrum and becomes harder to remove. Anything that sits in the ear for hours a day, such as earbuds, earplugs or hearing aids, can slow the conveyor down too, which is why some people need wax removed more often than others. A face cloth over the outer ear is all your ears need.
2. Have your ears checked for wax before anything else
Wax is one of the most common reasons a hearing aid whistles, sounds weak, or seems to have stopped working. It can also affect the results of a hearing test. That’s why we look in your ears before we test or adjust anything, and clear any wax first, usually with microsuction. It’s a simple step, and it belongs at the start of any hearing appointment.
3. Clean your hearing aids every day
At the end of the day, give your hearing aids a wipe with a dry cloth or soft brush. Change the wax guard, the tiny filter at the tip, when it looks blocked or the sound goes dull. A blocked wax guard is one of the most common reasons an aid that “isn’t working” is brought in. If you’re not sure how to change yours, ask us at your next visit and we’ll show you.
4. Keep them dry
Gold Coast humidity and summer sweat are hard on hearing aids. Moisture builds up inside the aid and can make the sound crackle, cut out or fade. A drying case overnight helps, especially over summer. Every so often, it’s worth giving them a deeper dry-out in our clinic drying unit when you’re in for a check-up.
5. Plan for the water
Most hearing aids cope with a bit of rain or sweat, but they aren’t made for the pool, the surf or the shower. Take them out before you swim, and keep them somewhere cool and dry, not in a hot car. If you swim often, or are prone to ear infections, ask us about custom swim moulds. They’re made to fit your ears and help keep water out.
If taking hearing aids in and out around the water is the hard part, ask whether an extended-wear hearing aid such as Phonak Lyric suits you. It sits deep in the ear canal and stays in day and night, so it can be worn in the shower and for water activities where your head stays above the water, such as aqua aerobics or a walk in the shallows. It isn’t for swimming underwater or diving, and it doesn’t suit every ear, so we’d check that with you first.
6. Wear your hearing aids every day, not just for outings
It’s tempting to save hearing aids for the occasions that feel important. But your brain gets used to sound with regular use. Wearing your aids from when you get up until you go to bed gives it the steady practice it needs, and it’s usually what makes them feel natural rather than noisy. Fitting day is the start, not the finish line.
7. Protect the hearing you have
Noise damage builds up quietly and doesn’t come back. A simple test: if you have to raise your voice to talk to someone an arm’s length away, it’s loud enough to protect your ears. That includes the lawnmower, the leaf blower, power tools and live music. Foam earplugs are cheap and easy to keep in the glovebox or the shed. If you’re often around noise, custom earplugs are worth asking about. For headphones and earbuds, a simple guide is the 60:60 rule: no more than 60% of the maximum volume, for no more than 60 minutes at a time.
8. Ask what your hearing aids are actually doing in your ears
How a hearing aid sounds in a quiet room is only part of the picture. Every ear canal is a different shape, and that changes what the aid actually delivers. A measurement taken with a fine, soft tube in the ear canal shows what’s reaching your eardrum, so the settings can be matched to your hearing rather than to an average. It’s a fair question to ask at any fitting or check-up: “Have my hearing aids been checked in my ears?”
9. Treat sudden hearing loss as urgent
If you lose hearing in one ear suddenly, over a few hours or a day or two, don’t wait to see whether it clears. See your GP or go to an emergency department the same day. Sudden hearing loss is treated as urgent, and the earlier it’s assessed, the better the options. A blocked feeling after a cold is different, and usually settles within a week or two. If it doesn’t, or it’s painful, get it checked.
10. Tell people what helps you
Hearing well is partly about the people around you. Most people are happy to help once they know how. Ask them to get your attention before they start talking, to face you, and not to call out from another room. Choose the quieter table, away from the kitchen. And if you have someone close to you, bring them to your appointments. A second pair of ears helps you remember what was said, and it helps them understand what you’re dealing with.
Where to start
You don’t need to do all ten at once. Pick the one that sounds most like you.
We’re an independent clinic, not tied to any one manufacturer, so our advice starts with your ears and your everyday life, not with a product. If something on this list sounds familiar, whether it’s a whistle, a blocked ear, or an aid that’s just not quite right, it’s worth a conversation.
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Frequently asked questions
How often should I have my ears cleaned? It varies a lot. Some people never need it, and others build up wax every few months. Hearing aid wearers often need it more, because the aid sits in the ear canal and slows the natural movement of wax. If your hearing aid starts to whistle or sound weak, wax is the first thing to check.
How do I prepare for a wax removal appointment? If you know your wax tends to build up, using olive oil for ears for a few days beforehand (rather than softening drops from the pharmacy, as they tend to make the wax sludgy, sticking to the sides and eardrum and harder to remove with microsuction) can make removal quicker and more comfortable. Let us know if you’ve ever had a perforated eardrum, ear surgery, ear pain or dizziness. Occasionally a doctor is the safer place for removal, and we’ll tell you if that’s the case. Afterwards, most people find their hearing is clearer and their ears feel less blocked. A little dizziness or itchiness for a short while is possible, and usually settles quickly.
How often should I have my hearing tested? If you’re over 50 and have never had a full hearing test, a baseline is worth having, so there’s something to compare against later. After that, every one to two years is a sensible guide, or sooner if anything changes. If you wear hearing aids, a yearly check of both your hearing and your aids keeps them matched.
Can I wear my hearing aids in the shower or pool? No. Most hearing aids are built to cope with sweat and light rain, but not with being under water. Take them out first, and dry your ears before you put them back in.
Is ear candling a safe way to remove wax? No. Ear candling doesn’t draw wax out, and it can cause burns or leave candle wax in the ear. If wax is a problem, have it removed by a professional.
If you would like to talk through any of this, book an appointment or call us on 07 5619 3007.
