You take good care of your hearing aids. When you go to sleep, you always put them comfortably on the charger and you clean them every day.
Suddenly and discouragingly, your hearing aids are no longer working the way they used to. There are a few things you can do to troubleshoot the issue, luckily. Just remember: your number one job is to avoid damaging your hearing aid additionally (or you might have to replace them).
Troubleshooting your hearing aid
You saved the owner’s manual that came with your beautiful new hearing aids, right? You’ll want to get it out so you can use it for troubleshooting and, potentially, maintenance. Following your owner’s manual is important because every model of hearing aid is different.
Here are some things you can check on most models:
- Wax accumulation: Perform a visual check of your hearing aid to ensure that there is no wax accumulation interfering with standard functionality. Wax can build up quickly even if you clean your hearing aids frequently so make sure you double check.
- 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 may be a good plan to check if you may need new batteries or if the old ones are properly inserted, particularly if your batteries are replaceable.
- Keep your microphone clear: Look for anything blocking the microphone of your hearing aid. An obstructed microphone can create feedback or can cause your hearing aids to sound broken or quiet.
- Look for visible damage: Does your hearing aid have any apparent loose components or cracks in its shell? Cracks, clearly, could indicate more extensive damage (or let in moisture).
Once again you can find out how to deal with each of these issues by consulting your owner’s manual. Self-maintenance is sometimes possible.
How will I know when my hearing aid requires repair?
Your hearing aid will most likely have to be repaired professionally if you do routine maintenance and it still malfunctions. You need your hearing aids for nearly every facet of your life so this might not sound very appealing.
It’s definitely worth taking note that “repair” doesn’t necessarily translate into “send your hearing aids in for service and wait a few weeks”. In some cases, we can repair your hearing aid in office while you wait.
Or, you’ll be able to bring your hearing aids in for professional assistance and get them back in just a few hours (this, obviously, depends on the degree of the damage, all the more reason to bring your devices in for repair as soon as possible).
But rapid repair will not be possible in every case. And in those situations, you might find yourself in need of a backup pair of hearing aids. So if you’ve got an old pair lying around, ask whether they will serve temporarily. Or it’s possible that we have a loaner pair you can use.
Don’t wait to get help with your hearing aids
If the audio quality is beginning to falter, it’s essential to get your hearing aids assessed and repaired.
Any degree of downtime needs to be prevented. Neglected hearing loss can affect your general health, and that includes your mental health. More to the point, once your hearing aids are forgotten in a box somewhere, it’s all too easy to pretend they’re not there, all the while, your hearing grows worse and worse.
The optimum way to keep your hearing healthy is to keep those hearing aids working. Keeping them charged, clean, and when needed, professionally repaired is the best way to do that.
