You take good care of your hearing aids. When you go to bed, you always put them comfortably on the charger and you clean them daily.
Suddenly and distressingly, your hearing aids are no longer working the way they once did. There are several things you can do to diagnose the problem, thankfully. Not doing any additional damage is your number one priority so you won’t have to replace them.
Hearing aid troubleshooting
Of course, when you first got your nice new hearing aids, you made a point of putting the owner’s manual in a safe place. Hopefully, you did so that you can consult with your owner’s manual to do maintenance and troubleshooting. Every model of hearing aid can be rather different so it’s essential to follow the manual’s guidelines.
Here are some things you can check on most models:
- Wax buildup: Perform a visual inspection of your hearing aid to ensure that there is no wax accumulation interfering with basic operation. Wax can accumulate 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 charged all night, you’ll want to double-check the battery power. If your hearing aid has replaceable batteries, it may not be a bad idea to check if those batteries are correctly inserted or if a new one solves the problem.
- Look for noticeable damage: Does your hearing aid have any obvious loose components or cracks around its shell? If you find cracks, it could mean that moisture is getting in and there may be more extensive damage.
- Keep your microphone clear: Check your hearing aid to see if anything is blocking the microphone. A blocked microphone can create feedback or can cause your hearing aids to sound broken or silent.
Again, consult your owner’s manual on how you might approach each of these issues. Self-maintenance is sometimes possible.
How will I know when my hearing aid requires repair?
Your hearing aid will probably need to be professionally repaired if you do routine maintenance and it still malfunctions. That may not always sound appealing, after all, you rely on your hearing aid for daily communication (along with dinners with your family, keeping up to date with your favorite Netflix series, and so on).
You won’t necessarily be without your hearing aid for lengthy periods of time just because it needs to be repaired. In some instances, we can repair your hearing aid in office while you wait.
Or, depending on the level of the damage, you could have your hearing aids back in a few hours.
But quick repair won’t be possible in all cases. And in those cases, you may 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 on a temporary basis. Or it’s possible that we have a loaner pair you can use.
Get help with your hearing aids right away
If the sound quality is starting to falter, it’s essential to get your hearing aids assessed and repaired.
Any amount of downtime should be avoided. Untreated hearing loss can impact your general health, including your mental health. 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 key to keeping your hearing healthy. Keeping them charged, clean, and when necessary, professionally repaired is the best way to do that.