Travelling with a Hearing Aid

July 20, 2021
Jess

Many people refer to hearing loss as an invisible disability. Not only is it physically hidden, but it also hinders communication which means that many people who have hearing loss can find themselves withdrawing from opportunities to be social or travel.

Hearing aids can bridge this gap and allow those who have a hearing loss to communicate and socialise. However, many people wonder how they can travel with a hearing aid.

Here are some top tips for travelling with a hearing aid:

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Ensure you have everything you need

If your batteries aren’t rechargeable, bring plenty of extra batteries, and if they can be charged just don’t forget to bring your charge. Most batteries will last somewhere between 5 and 14 days, and it can be a good idea to keep them in a few different locations and bags just in case one goes missing. Always make sure that they are in a waterproof bag as well, and don’t forget to bring extra tubes if you need them.

Dont worry when going through security

Often people who are hearing impaired think that they won’t be able to travel as they can no longer go through security. However you don’t need to remove your hearing aid, and if you need to interact with the people working security make sure that they’re aware of your hearing loss.

If you are bringing any other assistive listening devices with you, you’ll need to put them through an x-ray screening. This won’t affect them in any way, however it’s a good idea to turn down the volume as scanners can occasionally cause them to make a loud noise.

Another good idea is to ensure that all notifications about gate changes are sent to your email or cell phone.

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Relax when flying

Some people may assume that you need to turn off your hearing aid when the pilot asks for everyone to turn off their portable electronic devices. However pacemakers and hearing aids don’t give off the same signals as cell phones so you don’t need to worry about turning them off.

Get a digital hearing aid

Digital technology can greatly impact the way we hear, and both digital technology and hearing aids have come a long way in the last few years. Because digital hearing aids are flexible, they can be programmed to selectively process sound and amplify the region you need depending on your hearing loss. The processing also allows you to hear a natural sound quality with far less distortion which means you’ll have excellent sound quality. There are also digital hearing aids that are rechargeable for people who doesn’t want to deal with changing batteries very often. Many are now equipped with even more sophisticated features such as directional microphones, noise reduction feedback management, wind noise reduction data logging and learning, and even bluetooth interface. Travelling with digital hearing aids can be a great way to make the entire trip much easier and less stressful.

Travel anyway

Just because you have hearing loss doesn’t mean you can’t travel. Many places around the world have hotels and restaurants which are equipped for those with hearing loss, and you’ll find that you’ll still get to see the world.