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 sleep.
Suddenly and discouragingly, your hearing aids aren’t working the way they once did. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue. Not doing any more damage is your number one priority so you won’t need to replace them.
Hearing aid troubleshooting
Naturally, when you first got your sweet new hearing aids, you made a point of putting the owner’s manual in a safe place. You’ll want to take it out so you can utilize it for troubleshooting and, possibly, maintenance. 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:
- Keep your microphone clear: Check your hearing aid to find out if anything is blocking the microphone. An obstructed microphone can create feedback or can cause your hearing aids to sound broken or quiet.
- Check for noticeable damage: Does your hearing aid have any obvious loose components or cracks in its shell? Cracks, clearly, could indicate more extensive damage (or let in moisture).
- Check your battery: You’ll still want to assess the battery power even if you had your hearing aids on the charger at night. 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.
- Wax buildup: Perform a visual inspection of your hearing aid to make sure that there is no wax accumulation interfering with basic functionality. Even if you undertake regular cleaning, sometimes wax can build up quickly, so it’s worth ticking this off your list.
Again, consult your owner’s manual on how you might approach each of these concerns. Self-maintenance is sometimes possible.
When does my hearing aid need repair?
Your hearing aid will most likely need to be repaired professionally if you do routine maintenance and it still malfunctions. You need your hearing aids for almost every aspect of your life so this might not sound that appealing.
You won’t automatically 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 extent of the damage, you could have your hearing aids back in a few hours.
There are still some cases where such quick repair is not possible. And in those situations, you might find yourself in need of a backup set of hearing aids. Perhaps you have an old pair that will do temporarily in a pinch. We may even be able to loan you a pair while you are waiting.
Get assistance with your hearing aids without delay
If the sound quality is beginning to falter, it’s crucial to get your hearing aids assessed and repaired.
Any amount of downtime should be prevented. Your mental health and your overall health can be affected by neglected hearing loss. And it becomes all too easy to leave your hearing aids laying in a drawer somewhere while your hearing continues to decline.
The best way to keep your hearing working properly is to keep those hearing aids working. Keeping them charged, clean, and when necessary, professionally repaired is the best way to do that.
