You go above and beyond to make sure your hearing aids are well taken care of. When you go to bed, you always put them snuggly on the charger and you clean them every day.
Suddenly and discouragingly, your hearing aids aren’t working the way they used to. There are several things you can do to troubleshoot the issue, thankfully. Not doing any more damage is your top priority so you won’t have to replace them.
Hearing aid troubleshooting
You saved the owner’s manual that came with your beautiful new hearing aids, right? Hopefully, you did so that you can consult with your owner’s manual to undertake maintenance and troubleshooting. Every model of hearing aid can be somewhat different so it’s essential to follow the manual’s guidelines.
Here are some things you can check on most models:
- Check your battery: You’ll still want to check the battery power even if you had your hearing aids charging overnight. If your hearing aid has replaceable batteries, it may be a good idea to check if those batteries are correctly inserted or if a new one solves the problem.
- Wax accumulation: Do a visual check of your hearing aid to ensure that there’s no wax accumulation interfering with standard operation. Even if you perform regular cleaning, sometimes wax can accumulate quickly, so it’s worth checking this off your list.
- Look for visible damage: Do you see any visible cracks or loose components around the shell of your hearing aid? Cracks, clearly, could suggest more significant damage (or allow in moisture).
- Keep your microphone clear: Check for anything obstructing the microphone of your hearing aid. A blocked microphone can create feedback or can cause your hearing aids to sound broken or silent.
Again, check with your owner’s manual on how you might address each of these issues. In some cases, you may be able to perform maintenance yourself.
When does my hearing aid require repair?
If your hearing aid continues to malfunction after you have performed basic upkeep and troubleshooting, it’s likely that your hearing aid will have to be professionally repaired. You need your hearing aids for nearly every facet of your life so this might not sound really appealing.
You won’t automatically be without your hearing aid for lengthy periods of time just because it needs to be repaired. In some cases, we can fix it in office and you can take it with you when you go.
Or, you’ll be able to bring your hearing aids in for professional help and get them back in just a few hours (this, obviously, depends on the extent of the damage, all the more reason to get your devices in for repair as soon as you can).
There are still some cases where such quick repair isn’t possible. And in those cases, you may find yourself in need of a backup set of hearing aids. Maybe you have an old pair that will do temporarily in a pinch. Or it’s possible that we have a loaner pair you can borrow.
Don’t wait to get help with your hearing aids
If the audio quality is starting to falter, it’s crucial to get your hearing aids assessed and repaired.
Any degree of downtime needs to be prevented. Your mental health and your general health can be impacted by neglected hearing loss. Moreover, 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 gets worse and worse.
Keeping those hearing aids in good working order is the key to keeping your hearing healthy. And the ideal way to do that is to keep them clean, keep them charged, and, when needed, bring your hearing aids to get some professional help.