If you have hearing aids but you’re still having difficulty hearing, your hearing aids might require professional maintenance.
You take care of your hearing aids. You baby them. Cleaning them every day, you make sure they are snug on their charger when you go to bed.
But you can’t understand why your hearing aids aren’t working effectively and it’s very annoying. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to resolve the issue. Keep in mind: your number one task is to avoid damaging your hearing aid further (or you might need to get new ones).
Your Hearing Aid Might Need Troubleshooting
Every design of hearing aid is different so use your owner manual for troubleshooting and maintenance. Here are a few things you can check on most models:
- Look for visible damage: Loose components or cracks could occur around the shell of your hearing aids so don’t forget to inspect for that. Cracks could let moisture in and might be an indicator of further damage.
- Examine your battery: Even if you know your hearing aids spent the night on the charger, you’ll want to double-check the battery power. Even rechargeable batteries need to be replaced sooner or later and sometimes you may not have them fully inserted.
- Wax buildup: Check for wax accumulation which could be stopping the standard operation of your hearing aids. Wax builds up quickly so even if you have a regular cleaning schedule you still need to pay attention to this.
- Keep your microphone clear: Look for anything blocking the microphone of your hearing aid. An obstructed microphone can create feedback or can make your hearing aid sound broken or silent.
Each of these concerns will have its own strategy so consult your owner’s manual. In certain cases, you may be capable of performing maintenance on your own. (But, again, consult the instructions.)
Does my Hearing Aid Need Repair – How Can I Tell?
Your hearing aid will most likely need professional repair if you continue to have problems with it after doing these basic maintenance duties. Because you depend on your hearing aids for all of your basic conversations and social activities, this most likely doesn’t sound very attractive.
However, it’s worth pointing out that “repair” doesn’t always mean you need to “mail your hearing aids in” for service and wait several weeks. In some cases, we can repair it while you wait.
So in those situations, you will be able to get your hearing aid back in the same day (this, of course, depends on the extent of the damage, that’s all the more reason to bring it in for repair as soon as you can).
There are still some cases where same day repair isn’t feasible. A backup pair may be necessary in those cases. So if you’ve got an old pair lying around, ask us whether they will work temporarily. There might even be a loaner pair at our office that we can loan you until you get yours back.
Don’t Wait to Get Help For Your Hearing Aids
It’s crucial to get your hearing aids repaired as soon as you detect any falter or fading of the audio quality.
That’s because you hope to eliminate any downtime. Neglected hearing loss can impact your total health, including your mental health. More to the point, once your hearing aids are left in a box somewhere, it’s all too easy to pretend they don’t exist, even as, your hearing grows worse and worse.
The best way to get the maximum help from your hearing aids is to keep them functioning at their highest quality. Keeping them clean and charged and if necessary, taking them in for maintenance is the best way to do that.