Hearing aids have been shown to support your health in surprising ways including improving cognitive abilities, minimizing depression, and limiting your risk of falls. Which is why when your hearing aids seem like they malfunction, it’s so frustrating. When you start observing screeching feedback, or when your hearing aids abruptly stop working, expedient solutions can make the difference between a lovely family dinner or a miserable one.
Luckily, there are some basic troubleshooting steps you can take which could alleviate or address some common hearing aid issues. The faster you ascertain what’s wrong with your hearing aid, the sooner you can go back to what’s important.
Try Changing The Batteries
One of the most prevalent issues with hearing aids is a low battery. Rechargeable batteries come standard with some hearing aid models. Changeable batteries are standard on other hearing aids. If you’re going through any of these symptoms, it probably means the batteries are to blame for your hearing aid issues.
- Weak sounds: You feel like you are constantly struggling to hear what’s happening around you.
- Dull sound quality: It feels as if somebody is talking to you underwater or from the other side of the room.
- Hearing aids won’t turn on: If your hearing aid won’t turn on, or keeps shutting off, there’s a good chance the battery is the primary issue.
Here’s what you do about it:
- Having the right batteries is crucial so make sure you double check that. Your hearing aid can be damaged by the incorrect battery. (Sometimes, a battery will appear to be the same size as a different battery so it’s crucial that you be careful and check twice.)
- Exchange the batteries if your hearing aid is designed to allow that. In some situations, rechargeable batteries are sealed inside of the device, and if that’s the situation, you may have to bring the hearing aid to a specialist.
- Ensure the batteries are fully charged. Allow your rechargeable batteries to charge overnight or at least for several hours.
Every Surface Needs to be Cleaned
Needless to say, hearing aids log a lot of time inside your ears. And your ears have a lot going on inside of them. So it’s no surprise that your hearing aids will get a little dirty while helping you hear. Most hearing aid models are manufactured to handle some earwax buildup, but it’s a practical idea to have a regular cleaning plan also. A few issues related to buildup and dirt could include:
- Discomfort: If they feel as if they’re suddenly too big for your ears, it could be because earwax buildup has begun interfering with the fit. Occasionally, the plastic in the molds will harden and need to be exchanged.
- Muffled sound: Earwax and other buildup can make your hearing aid sound like it’s buried beneath something.
- Feedback: The feedback canceling feature on your hearing aid can be interrupted by earwax buildup generating a whistling noise.
Some solutions:
- Take care of the filter by examining it and, if needed, replacing it.
- Ensure you are bringing your hearing aids to a professional for regular maintenance and cleaning.
- The tip of your hearing aid can become covered and clogged up by earwax and debris so check for that. The manufacturer will typically supply a cleaning tool which can be used along with the manufacturer’s cleaning instruction.
- Clean your hearing aid gently in the way that the manufacturer has directed.
Try Giving Yourself Some Time
In some cases, the problem isn’t a problem with the hearing aid. When you first pop in your hearing aids, your brain has to get accustomed to hearing the world again. As your mind adjust, you might notice that some sounds are unpleasantly loud (the hum of the refrigerator, for instance). You might also notice that particular consonant sounds might seem overly pronounced.
As your brain works to catch up, before long, you’ll adjust.
But it’s important to get help with any issues before too much time passes. If your hearing aids are uncomfortable or you’re experiencing continuous noise issues or things don’t seem to be working exactly the way they ought to be, we can help get you back on track and make sure you’re enjoying, not enduring, your hearing aids.