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Tubing getting hard

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I wear Phonak Naida`s with ear moulds. They have thick wall tubing which gets hard inside the ear mould. It has to be changed about every three weeks, as it causes loss of clarity and speech understanding.

I order them from the hospital, but they only send enough for about six weeks. I am hoping someone has found a way of either keeping them soft longer, or a different type of tubing please.

@JohnD said:

I wear Phonak Naida`s with ear moulds. They have thick wall tubing which gets hard inside the ear mould. It has to be changed about every three weeks, as it causes loss of clarity and speech understanding.

I order them from the hospital, but they only send enough for about six weeks. I am hoping someone has found a way of either keeping them soft longer, or a different type of tubing please.

John,

It sounds like you might have vinyl earmolds. The tubing will turn hard a lot quicker with vinyl than with acrylic molds and that is probably the only way to get the tubing to last longer and that is to switch, but if you need vinyl molds to hear, you are kind of stuck. Have you told the hospital that you get the tubes from that the tubes are only lasting about 3 weeks and it’s a huge inconvenience to have to come every six weeks to get 4 more tubes? I would think it would be better for them and for you, to give you a six month supply. If they do give you more than a six week supply keep them in a drawer so they won’t start getting hard before you have a chance to use them. I hope you can get the hospital to see the light and give you more tubes.

Hi Seb.

Thanks for your reply. I have no idea what the moulds are made of, but they are soft, clear, and the most comfortable I have ever had. They do not project into the ear canal like the previous moulds, but are shaped just to fit the canal entrance. The previous moulds were white and soft, but were very painful in one ear possibly due to a reaction to the material.

I have explained to the hospital that the tubes get hard quickly, but they ignore that and just send them. But I will ask again next time I go. I keep them in a sealed bag in a draw.

— Updated —

Hi Seb.

Thanks for your reply. I have no idea what the moulds are made of, but they are soft, clear, and the most comfortable I have ever had. They do not project into the ear canal like the previous moulds, but are shaped just to fit the canal entrance. The previous moulds were white and soft, but were very painful in one ear possibly due to a reaction to the material.

I have explained to the hospital that the tubes get hard quickly, but they ignore that and just send them. But I will ask again next time I go. I keep them in a sealed bag in a draw.

[quote=JohnD;109652]Hi Seb.

Thanks for your reply. I have no idea what the moulds are made of, but they are soft, clear, and the most comfortable I have ever had. They do not project into the ear canal like the previous moulds, but are shaped just to fit the canal entrance. The previous moulds were white and soft, but were very painful in one ear possibly due to a reaction to the material.

I have explained to the hospital that the tubes get hard quickly, but they ignore that and just send them. But I will ask again next time I go. I keep them in a sealed bag in a draw.

— Updated —
John,

They might also be silicone as the tubing also gets harder faster with silicone than with acrylic molds, but my bet is on vinyl if they are getting hard in three weeks. Another possible cause for the early failure is the hospital might not be storing them correctly and when you are getting them they are already getting hard. Mine are very soft when I get them, but the hearing aid center I go to keeps them in a box inside a cabinet and they never see the light of day until they bring them out to me.

I keep my spare tubes in a large dark brown pill bottle with the lid screwed on tightly.

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