Wearing Face Masks with Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids can be tricky!
In an article in Healthy Hearing, Joy Victory shares some tips for hearing better with Face Masks.
Face masks are now required in many public places to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
For people with hearing loss, though, this may be easier said than done.
That’s because face masks add extra challenges for people with hearing impairments:
~ It’s harder to understand people when they’re speaking to you with a mask on their face.
~ If you wear hearing aids, the ear loops may tug on your hearing aids and cause other problems.
Wearing a mask with hearing aids
If you wear behind-the-ear hearing aids, you will likely encounter some problems trying to wear a standard face mask with elastic ear loops. The ear loops may tug at the tubing that connects the hearing aid to the speaker that sits in your ear (known as the dome). You also may inadvertently pull your hearing aids out and drop them when removing your mask. What’s a hearing aid wearer to do?
Because there are so many types of hearing aids, we recommend you first reach out to your hearing care provider who may have solutions they’ve come up with when talking to other patients. Also, we’ve seen lots of creative workarounds floating around out there, including:
~ Wearing a mask with soft fabric ties to relieve the pressure on the ears, instead of elastic
~ Using a special mask extender with buttons or other holders to attach the mask loops onto, on the back of the head, instead of the ears (many medical practitioners now use these, since they have to wear tight-fitting masks all day)
~ Using simple tools like plastic s-hooks to loop the mask onto, instead of your ears
Read the full article by, CLICKING HERE
Reminder – We are now carrying Hearing Aid Savers.
They attach to your face mask so you don’t have to wear the elastic over your ears. This is a great convenience for anyone who wears hearing aids.
If you or a family member is having any difficulties with hearing or hearing aids, please give us a call at 727-323-2471 and set up an appointment. We can help you.
Susan E. Terry, Au.D., F-AAA, F-NAP
Doctor of Audiology
Board Certified
P.S. We are here to help if you have any questions about your hearing, feel free to give us a call at 727-323-2471