You go above and beyond to make sure your hearing aids are well taken care of. Cleaning them daily, you make sure they’re safe and comfortable on their charger when you go to sleep.
Suddenly and discouragingly, your hearing aids aren’t working the way they used to. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to diagnose the problem. Just don’t forget: your main job is to refrain from damaging your hearing aid further (or you may have to replace them).
Troubleshooting your hearing aid
Of course, when you first got your sweet new hearing aids, you made a point of putting the owner’s manual in a safe spot. Hopefully, you did so that you can check with your owner’s manual to do maintenance and troubleshooting. Every model of hearing aid can be somewhat different so it’s essential to follow the manual’s recommendations.
On most models there are some other things you can check, here are a few:
- Wax accumulation: Make sure there’s no wax on your hearing aid by giving it a visual check. Wax can build up quickly even if you clean your hearing aids regularly so make it a point to double check.
- Check for visible damage: Does your hearing aid have any obvious loose components or cracks around its shell? Cracks, obviously, could indicate more significant damage (or allow in moisture).
- Keep your microphone clear: Check your hearing aid to find out if anything is blocking the microphone. Your hearing aid may feedback or simply fail to work if the microphone is blocked.
- Check your battery: Even if you know your hearing aids spent the night on the charger, you’ll want to double-check the battery power. It may be a good idea to check if you might need new batteries or if the old ones are correctly inserted, especially if your batteries are replaceable.
Once again you can discover how to deal with each of these issues by referring to your owner’s manual. Self-maintenance is sometimes possible.
When does my hearing aid need repair?
Your hearing aid will probably have to be professionally repaired if you do routine maintenance and it still malfunctions. You need your hearing aids for almost every facet of your life so this might not sound that appealing.
It’s certainly worth taking note that “repair” doesn’t necessarily mean “send your hearing aids in for service and wait a few weeks”. 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 take your hearing aids in for professional assistance and have them back in a matter of 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 possible).
There are still some cases where such fast repair is not possible. A backup set of hearing aids might be necessary in these situations. Perhaps 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.
Don’t wait to get help with your hearing aids
If the sound quality is starting to fail, it’s crucial to get your hearing aids checked and repaired.
Any amount of downtime should be prevented. Your mental health and your overall 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.
The best way to keep your hearing working properly is to keep those hearing aids working. And the best way to do that is to clean them, keep them charged, and, when needed, bring your hearing aids to get some professional help.