As the COVID-19 pandemic has spread, the advice for us to wear a face mask in public is common. Given how often many of us are wearing face masks, it’s important that they should be comfortable.
Wearing a face mask with hearing aids can be a challenge. At Hearing,Balance, & Speech Center, we wanted to offer some advice to help you wear your hearing aids and a face mask.
How to Keep Your Hearing Aids Safe When Wearing Hearing Aids
It’s been documented that people with hearing loss find face masks to present additional communication challenges. Difficulty reading lips and muffled speech are two challenges posed by face masks.
Audiologists have been reporting an increased number of people who have lost their hearing aids. The cause? Challenges posed by wearing face masks.
One of the more common types of face masks many of us are wearing are over the ear face masks. The placement of the face masks straps can dislodge or tangle with hearing aid devices. This could cause the device to fall, potentially without you realizing!
Below we’re looking at how you can wear a face mask and keep your hearing aid devices safe.
If You Wear a Face Mask with Elastic Bands
Does your face masks have elastic bands that you wear behind the ear? This common form of face mask can be adapted to help keep your hearing aid devices safe. A few options could include:
- Mask Extender – Using a mask extender, you can hook the elastic bands onto the extender itself. This can make wearing the mask more comfortable, and keep your hearing aids safe.
- Headband – Sew buttons onto either side of a headband or a hat. Use the buttons to hook your face mask on to. Watch a tutorial on how you can make your buttoned headbands here.
- Ponytail or Bun – Put your hair back in a ponytail or bun, and use this to help secure your facemask.
Hearing Aids & Face Mask Safety Tips
Whether you wear a face mask with elastic bands or not, there are a few tips that you should use to keep your hearing aid devices safe. These include:
- Removing your mask at home – Take off your mask when you get home. This way, in the event that it does fall, it does so in the safety of your home. That should make it easier to find!
- Tie long hair back – If you have long hair, tie it back before removing your mask. This avoids your hair potentially getting tangled with your face mask (or your hearing aid!).
- Check your hearing aid devices are there – Once you’ve taken off your face mask, double check that your hearing aids are still on.
- Use a mask with 4strings – Face masks with 4 strings can be tied behind your head, rather than behind your ears. It’s one other way of helping to keep your hearing aid devices secure.
At Hearing, Balance & Speech Center, We’re Here to Help You!
If despite your best efforts you misplace your hearing aids, the hearing specialists at Hearing, Balance & Speech Center are here to help you with your hearing needs. If you’d like to book an appointment, please call us today on 203-774-5642 or request an appointment online.