You take care of your hearing aids. Cleaning them every day, you make sure they’re safe and comfortable on their charger when you go to bed.
But you get pretty discouraged when your hearing aids abruptly stop working the way they used to. Fortunately, there are some measures you can take to diagnose the issue. Just remember: your main job is to avoid damaging your hearing aid further (or you might have to replace them).
Hearing aid troubleshooting
You kept the owner’s manual that came with your shiny new hearing aids, right? You’ll want to pull it out so you can use it for troubleshooting and, potentially, maintenance. Each model of hearing aid can be rather different so it’s important to follow the manual’s guidelines.
Here are some things you can check on most models:
- Check for visible damage: Do you see any visible cracks or loose components around the shell of your hearing aid? Cracks, obviously, could suggest more significant damage (or let in moisture).
- Check your battery: You’ll still want to check the battery power even if you had your hearing aids on the charger at night. It might be a good idea to check if you might need new batteries or if the old ones are properly inserted, especially if your batteries are replaceable.
- Keep your microphone clear: Check for anything obstructing the microphone of your hearing aid. An obstructed microphone can cause feedback or can cause your hearing aids to sound broken or silent.
- Wax accumulation: Be certain that there’s no wax on your hearing aid by giving it a visual inspection. Even if you perform routine cleaning, sometimes wax can build up quickly, so it’s worth ticking this off your list.
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.
When does my hearing aid require repair?
Your hearing aid will most likely have to be professionally repaired if you do routine upkeep and it still malfunctions. That may not always sound appealing, after all, you depend on your hearing aid for day-to-day communication (not to mention 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 extended periods of time just because it needs to be repaired. Sometimes, we can fix it in office and you can take it with you when you go.
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 every case. And in those cases, you may find yourself needing a backup set 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 borrow.
Don’t wait to get assistance with your hearing aids
It’s crucial to get your hearing aid assessed and repaired if you begin to notice the audio quality is beginning to fail.
You’ll want to avoid any downtime. Untreated hearing loss can affect your overall health, including your mental health. And it becomes all too easy to leave your hearing aids laying in a drawer somewhere while your hearing continues to decline.
Keeping those hearing aids in good working order is the secret to keeping your hearing healthy. And the ideal way to do that is to clean them, keep them charged, and, when needed, take your hearing aids to get some professional help.