Hearing aid batteries can be frustrating. Hearing aids themselves are meant to last for many years, but the batteries have to be changed regularly—and without batteries, you can’t hear!
Types of Hearing Aid Batteries
The most widely used type of hearing aid battery is the zinc-air button battery—this battery is activated by contact with air, and therefore should stay totally sealed until you’re ready to use them.
Recently, a young hearing-aid wearer named Ethan Manuell discovered battery life can be extended by up to three days after taking the sticker off your battery, wait five minutes before inserting it into your hearing aids!
You might be wondering why hearing aids still use traditional batteries rather than rechargeable ones, like most technology today. There are some rechargeable batteries on the market but they do present some problems.
Most rechargeable batteries are simply too small and weak to power hearing aids for more than a day. Hearing aids also need to be specifically made for rechargeable batteries, and manufacturers have not fully figured out how to integrate efficient rechargeable batteries into hearing aids.
Hearing Aid Battery Life and When to Change
Most hearing aid batteries last about one week, but this is highly dependent on their size. Larger hearing aids and hearing aids are worn by people with severe or profound hearing loss require larger, more powerful batteries.
If you only wear hearing aids in certain environments rather than all day, your hearing aid battery will last longer.
Generally, you’ll know when you need to change your hearing aid battery. When the battery starts to die, your hearing aid becomes less effective and it will get much harder or impossible to hear even when your hearing aid is being worn.
Also, you should change your batteries if the sound starts to become distorted.
Many hearing aids have a beeping sound that will alert you when your hearing aid battery is low. You should swap out your batteries as soon as you hear that alarm, if possible.
As they reach the end of their lifespan, hearing aid batteries tend to lose power rapidly, so it’s a good idea to always carry an extra (sealed) pack of batteries in your purse or pocket and keep them away from other metal objects, like coins and keys.
How to Maximize Hearing Aid Battery Life
There are several ways you can get the most out of your batteries. First, always make sure to turn off your hearing aid when it is not in use and keep your battery compartment door open. This will prevent the battery from draining unnecessarily.
Do not keep your batteries in the bathroom, as it can get too hot and affect their longevity.
Many people store their batteries in the fridge or freezer, thinking this will preserve battery life—in actuality, this can cause unwanted condensation underneath the seal and render them useless.
To keep your batteries functioning at their best, store them at room temperature and keep them dry!