You take care of your hearing aids. When you go to sleep, you always put them comfortably on the charger and you clean them daily.
Suddenly and discouragingly, your hearing aids are no longer working the way they used to. Thankfully, there are some measures you can take to diagnose the problem. Not doing any more damage is your number one priority so you won’t have to replace them.
Troubleshooting your hearing aid
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 utilize it for troubleshooting and, possibly, maintenance. Each model of hearing aid can be somewhat different so it’s essential to follow the manual’s recommendations.
Here are some things you can check on most models:
- Check for noticeable damage: Do you see any visible cracks or loose components around the shell of your hearing aid? If you find cracks, it could mean that moisture is getting in and there might be more significant damage.
- Wax buildup: Do a visual check of your hearing aid to ensure that there’s no wax buildup interfering with basic operation. Wax can accumulate quickly even if you clean your hearing aids frequently so make it a point to double check.
- Keep your microphone clear: Check your hearing aid to see if anything is blocking the microphone. Your hearing aid might feedback or simply fail to work if the microphone is blocked.
- 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 might not be a bad idea to check if those batteries are inserted properly or if a new one fixes the issue.
Once again you can learn how to deal with each of these concerns by referring to your owner’s manual. In some cases, you may be able to perform maintenance yourself.
How will I know when my hearing aid needs repair?
If your hearing aid keeps malfunctioning after you have performed basic maintenance and troubleshooting, it’s likely that your hearing aid will need to be professionally repaired. You need your hearing aids for nearly every aspect of your life so this may not sound really appealing.
You won’t necessarily be without your hearing aid for extended 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 get your hearing aids back in a few hours.
There are still some instances where such rapid repair isn’t possible. A backup pair of hearing aids may be necessary in these cases. Maybe you have an old pair that will do temporarily in a pinch. We may even be able to let you borrow a pair while you are waiting.
Get help with your hearing aids right away
It’s essential to get your hearing aid checked and repaired if you begin to notice the audio quality is starting to falter.
You’ll want to prevent any downtime. Untreated hearing loss can affect your general health, and that includes your mental health. And it becomes all too easy to leave your hearing aids laying in a drawer somewhere while your hearing continues to diminish.
Keeping those hearing aids in excellent working order is the key to keeping your hearing healthy. Keeping them charged, clean, and when needed, professionally repaired is the best way to do that.
