Bone anchored hearing aids, also known as BAHAs, are an alternative to traditional hearing aids that transmit sound through the bones of the skull. Rather than being inserted into the ear canal or worn behind the ear, a BAHA is instead attached to a band that is worn around the head or alternatively, it can be fixed to a surgically inserted metal implant.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at whether or not BAHAs are waterproof and answer the question, “Can you go swimming with bone anchored hearing aids?”
Can You Wear a BAHA Headband When Swimming?
If you’re planning a trip to your local swimming pool, beach or a water park, you may be wondering whether you can wear your BAHA headband to swim. Unfortunately, the answer is no.
Whilst the headband itself can get wet, the BAHA sound processor is an electrical piece of equipment, so it shouldn’t be allowed to come into contact with water, whether that’s through swimming, showering or bathing.
As the BAHA processor isn’t waterproof, if you usually wear a BAHA on a headband or softband, then you’ll need to take this off before entering the water to protect your processor from damage. Once you leave the water and dry off, you can put your BAHA headband and processor back on again.
Can You Swim With a BAHA Implant?
If you have a BAHA that has been surgically implanted then you will still need to remove the external sound processor before going swimming, as you would with a traditional hearing aid, however, you don’t need to worry about the abutment (implant) itself getting wet.
You will usually have been given a small protective cap that can be clipped over your implant when the processor is removed, to protect the inside of the abutment from dirt and debris, however these are not essential and you can still swim, bathe or shower without the cap in place. Some people prefer to use an abutment cap as they feel that it improves the appearance of their implant when the processor isn’t in place.
Obviously, with the sound processor removed, this does mean that while you’re swimming, you won’t get any of the usual benefits of your BAHA, i.e. you won’t have any improvements to your hearing whilst in the water.
Get In Touch
We hope this blog has answered the question, “Can you go swimming with bone anchored hearing aids?” If you have any other questions about your hearing device or want to know more about BAHA headbands and accessories, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we’ll do our best to help.
We’re also more than happy to talk you through our various products and designs and their different functions to make sure that they’re the right choice for you. Get in touch today by calling us on 07432 620644 or emailing sales@bahaaccessoriesuk.com. You can also contact us online. We look forward to hearing from you!