You take care of your hearing aids. Cleaning them every day, you make sure they’re safe and snug on their charger when you go to bed.
But you get pretty distressed when your hearing aids suddenly stop working the way they did once. There are a few things you can do to troubleshoot the problem, thankfully. Just don’t forget: your number one job is to avoid damaging your hearing aid additionally (or you might have to replace them).
Troubleshooting your hearing aid
You kept the owner’s manual that came with your shiny new hearing aids, right? Hopefully, you did so that you can consult with your owner’s manual to perform maintenance and troubleshooting. Every model of hearing aid can be rather different so it’s important to follow the manual’s guidelines.
Here are some things you can check on most models:
- Check for visible damage: Does your hearing aid have any obvious loose components or cracks in its shell? If you find cracks, it could mean that moisture is getting in and there might be more extensive damage.
- Wax accumulation: Perform a visual inspection of your hearing aid to ensure that there’s no wax accumulation interfering with basic functionality. Even if you undertake routine cleaning, sometimes wax can accumulate quickly, so it’s worth ticking this off your list.
- Check your battery: Even if you know your hearing aids spent the night on the charger, you’ll want to double-check the battery power. It might be a good plan to check if you might need new batteries or if the old ones are correctly inserted, particularly if your batteries are replaceable.
- Keep your microphone clear: Look for anything obstructing the microphone of your hearing aid. An obstructed microphone can cause feedback or can cause your hearing aids to sound broken or silent.
Once again you can find out how to address each of these issues by referring to your owner’s manual. In some cases, you may be able to perform maintenance yourself.
How can I tell when my hearing aid requires repair?
Your hearing aid will most likely have to be professionally repaired if you do routine maintenance and it still malfunctions. You need your hearing aids for almost every facet of your life so this might not sound very appealing.
It’s certainly worth taking note that “repair” doesn’t always translate into “send your hearing aids in for service and wait a few weeks”. In some cases, we can fix your hearing aid in office while you wait.
Or, depending on the degree of the damage, you could get your hearing aids back in a few hours.
But quick repair will not be possible in every case. A backup pair of hearing aids may be necessary in these situations. So if you’ve got an old pair lying around, ask whether they will serve temporarily. We may even be able to loan you a pair while you are waiting.
Don’t wait to get help with your hearing aids
If the sound quality is beginning to fail, it’s essential to get your hearing aids assessed and repaired.
You’ll want to try to avoid any downtime. Your mental health and your overall health can be affected by untreated hearing loss. And it becomes all too easy to leave your hearing aids sitting in a drawer somewhere while your hearing continues to deteriorate.
Keeping those hearing aids in excellent working order is the secret to keeping your hearing healthy. And the best way to do that is to clean them, keep them charged, and, when needed, bring your hearing aids to get some professional help.