Understanding the Life-span of Hearing Aid Batteries

There are many circumstances that can cause how rapidly hearing aid batteries are used. The condition of your hearing aid batteries affects how long the batteries last before needing to be changed, the hearing aid’s general efficiency, the quality of sound in speech, and the quality of the streamed audio.

What impacts your hearing aid battery life?

1. Your own individual hearing loss. If you have severe hearing loss, you will need hearing aids with more powerful amplification. When your hearing aids have to work harder for that amplification, the battery will quickly drain.

     2.  The frequency of hearing aid use. Just as your smartphone battery gets used up
           when you text or use social media apps, your hearing aid batteries will be used up
           faster the more you use your hearing aids.     

     3.   How you use your hearing aids. Hearing aids are primarily meant to help you hear
           missing frequencies better. When you add elements like wireless streaming for
           phone calls, movies, or music, the battery will drain faster. The rate of battery drain             can increase up to 300 percent with wireless streaming. Additionally, if you use                   FM or looping technology, there can be a 100 percent increase in drain rates.

     4.  Tinnitus technology. Modern hearing aids usually include tinnitus technology,
           which helps relieve tinnitus symptoms. This is often done by using sound to cover
           the symptoms.  Hearing aids that combat tinnitus, are also increasing their                         general workload. As a result, the use of the hearing aid batteries increases.

      5.  Weather conditions. Changing seasons that have extreme temperatures, snow,   
            and humidity, can cause hearing aid batteries to operate differently. The two main 
            weather conditions that may affect the battery life are humidity and temperature.

          -Low humidity may result in higher battery drain, because the batteries are drying
           out quicker.
         
          -High humidity may bring moisture into the hearing aid, which can cause leakage,
           swelling, and a shorter battery life.
         
          -Low temperatures may reduce the life of a battery. Voltage can drain earlier, mainly
           for those who have to wear hearing aids outside during the winter season.
         
          -High temperatures can impact the performance of batteries, if the surrounding 
           environments get up to 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit, and/or the humidity levels are
          more than 50 percent.  

      6. The distance you are above sea level. Elevation may impact the battery life of your
           hearing aids. Greater altitudes may cause batteries to reach their limits because 
           of the environment’s reduced oxygen. Hearing aid wearers who live in higher   
           altitudes will probably drain their batteries quicker. If you are flying in an airplane,
           and the battery is already low, it may drain faster.

      7. It’s best to take your hearing aid batteries out at night. Leaving the batteries in your            hearing aids, when you are not wearing them drains their life faster.
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If you need to replace your hearing aid batteries, stop by one of our Pure Sound Hearing Aids locations to purchase a fresh pack of batteries.

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