How to put in and take out your hearing aid
A modern hearing aid is quite small and unobtrusive. You may have a hard time imagining it if you've never seen it before. These new devices can be placed either directly behind the ear or inside the ear. So for you as a hearing aid user, the hearing aid is not only practical, but also visually very discreet. However, if the model is very small, you may find it difficult to handle at first. With a little practice, however, you should have no problems at all. You insert the small hearing aid in the morning and remove it again in the evening. So handling hearing aids will soon become a daily routine for you.
There are different types of construction of hearing aids. A distinction is made between in-the-ear hearing aids (ITE) with an earmold and behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTE) with an external receiver. With BTE devices, the external ear canal is virtually closed off by an earmold. However, the ear is still very well ventilated. To be able to insert and remove your hearing aids quickly in everyday life, you only need a few simple tricks and handles. Thus, the removal and insertion is already after a short time no more effort for you and you can hear well at any time.
Insert hearing aids properly
Do you wear a hearing aid in both ears? Then get in the habit of starting the procedure on the same ear every time. Be sure you've chosen the right device for each ear. This is because your hearing aids are customized to fit the hearing loss in your ears.
To make it easier to find your hearing aids if you ever happen to drop it, always use a solid-colored pad as a general rule. Make sure to never insert or remove your hearing aid over an open sink or sink drain.
Your hearing aid acoustician will assist you in fitting your hearing aids. In the beginning, feel free to use a mirror. But you'll quickly get a feel over time for how to insert and remove your hearing aids, even blindly.
Hearing aid color: left right - Which color in which ear?
Look for the hearing aid color markings. You can find these either on the earpiece or on the case itself. The red color represents the right ear, the blue color the left.
Make sure you don't mix up your hearing aids if you have a left and a right. This is because each hearing aid is programmed quite differently than the other.
In the ear hearing aids
- Gently take the hearing aid between your thumb and forefinger.
- Position the narrow side in your ear canal.
- Now very gently pull on your earlobe and gently push the hearing aid into place.
Inserting behind-the-ear hearing aids with external earpieces
- Take your hearing aid between your thumb and forefinger and place it directly behind your ear.
- With your other hand, bring the receiver from behind your ear to the front.
- Gently press the small screen of the earpiece into your ear canal.
- Place the plastic support in your ear canal so that the screen sits firmly in your ear.
Placing behind-the-ear hearing aids with earmolds
- Take the back side of your earmold between your thumb and forefinger.
- Now very gently position the hearing aid in your ear.
- Push the part that points into your ear canal extremely gently into position.
- Then slide the part that belongs in the upper corner of your ear into place.
- To finish, use your other hand to gently pull your earlobe down. This trick will allow you to press the earmold firmly into your ear.
Removing hearing aids in your ear
If your hearing aid has an extraction cord:
- Grab the extraction cord with your thumb and index finger.
- Now gently pull your hearing aid upward out of your ear.
If your hearing aid does not have an extraction cord:
- Place your thumb behind your earlobe.
- Now gently push your ear upward with your thumb. This will push the hearing aid out of your ear canal. You can make chewing movements to assist you. The jaw movements will loosen your hearing aid. This will make it easier for you to remove it.
- Once your hearing aid protrudes far enough from your ear canal, you can grasp it with your thumb and forefinger and pull it out.
Taking out behind-the-ear hearing aids
- Get your hearing aid out from behind your ear and bring it in front of your ear.
- Grab the small screen or earmold with your thumb and forefinger.
- Now gently pull the earmold out of your ear.
Once you remove your hearing aid from your ear in the evening, you should perform routine daily cleaning. For proper care and cleaning you can find here useful tips and advice.