The holidays are typically one of the busiest travel seasons as millions of people hop in planes, trains and automobiles to visit family and friends.It can also be one of the more stressful times of the year. According to Prevention magazine, 90 percent of Americans report stressing over at least one aspect of the holidays — with traveling high on the list.People who wear hearing aids can help alleviate some of the stress by remembering these five tips as they travel over the river and through the woods this holiday season.
- Bring extra batteries! Especially when traveling abroad! The batteries that you use for your hearing aids, while globally available, may not have the same guarantee of quality when traveling. A battery caddy or blister pack of batteries is a great way to travel with them, and Zinc Air batteries are permissible in your carry-on luggage!
- You can leave your hearing aids turned on while flying, even if they have wireless capabilities. All domestic airlines allow the in-flight use of hearing aids. If you have any questions, make sure you contact your airline ahead of time!
- If you’re visiting someplace tropical, (a) you’re lucky, but (b) don’t forget to bring your dry aid kit! A dry aid kit is a small jar that has a desiccant in it to pull out all of the moisture! If you don’t have one, ask your hearing healthcare professional. Moisture in hearing aids can cause dirt and debris to build up on microphones and other parts and make cleaning difficult.
- Speaking of cleaning, don’t forget your cleaning tools! Just like at home, you’ll want to properly maintain your hearing aids while on vacation or traveling away from home! Many people are more active on trips than when at home and tend to need extra TLC when traveling!
- You can keep your hearing aids on as you pass through security! The electronic components of a typical hearing aid are so small that they don’t frequently get picked up by a metal detector. Just make sure that if you go through a body scanner you let the TSA agent know! They may ask you to take them out if they are detected!
Have a safe and happy holiday! Contact South Suburban Hearing Health Center if you need to pick up any batteries or get any last minute adjustments.