One of life’s greatest pleasures can be travelling. Whether your trip is international or interstate the opportunity to see new things, meet new people and experience new things is always exciting. When you have hearing issues though, the idea of being in unfamiliar surroundings can be a little daunting.
Travelling with hearing loss can be a piece of cake and just as pleasurable as it has ever been. There are few places on the planet where a hearing clinic or an audiologist can’t be found in an emergency and with a little advanced planning your very unlikely to need one anyway. Here are a few travel tips to help you on your journey.
Planning a trouble-free trip
- Check your itinerary and put google to work. Make a list of hearing clinics and audiologist near where you will be staying.
- Take out separate traveller’s insurance to cover your hearing aids if they should be damaged or stolen during your trip. There are companies that specialise in this field.
- Make sure that the hotels where you are going to be staying are aware of your hearing problems and can make any accommodations you may need.
- When you’re booking your airline reservations, make sure they are aware of your condition. This is for two reasons; it is illegal for you to sit in an exit row seat so that will have to be avoided. The airline may also want to know you may need assistance in an emergency.
Travelling with hearing aids
- Have your hearing aid serviced before leaving home. Thoroughly clean and re-tube them before you leave.
- If your hearing aid isn’t rechargeable take enough batteries for your entire trip plus a few extra days, just in case.
- Pack all your hearing aid cleaning tools and supplies in a safe container.
- Pack your hearing aid storage box in your carry-on bag so you will always have it handy.
- If you have an extra hearing aid at home pack it as a backup.
- Check your homeowner’s insurance policy and be sure your hearing aids are listed separately as an item that you take out of the house. It is better to be double insured.
Travelling with a cochlear implant
- Take your identification card or a letter from your audiologist confirming the implant to show customs and security officials. This can help avoid stressful situations and potently delaying flights.
- Consider turning off your telecoil before going through security checkpoints. They can pick up the radiation from the machines and create an annoying buzzing in your ears.
- If you’re carrying a loaner processor, check that it’s off and safely in your carry-on luggage. Don’t put it directly on the conveyor belt as static electricity can build up and corrupt your implant’s personalised programming.
- There is no need to turn off your cochlear implant during the flight. It won’t interfere with the plane’s instruments in any way and you will need to be able to hear the flight crew’s instructions clearly.
Bon voyage!!
Feel free to visit a Falls of Sound Hearing Care Clinic before your trip. Our team will be able to assist cleaning and or replacing any affected parts, stock up on batteries.