You take care of your hearing aids. Cleaning them every day, you make sure they are safe and comfortable on their charger when you go to bed.
But you get pretty distressed when your hearing aids abruptly stop working the way they did once. Fortunately, there are a few measures you can take to diagnose the issue. Just remember: your number one job is to refrain from damaging your hearing aid additionally (or you may have to replace them).
Hearing aid troubleshooting
Naturally, when you first got your nice new hearing aids, you made a point of storing the owner’s manual in a safe place. You’ll want to get it out so you can use it for troubleshooting and, potentially, maintenance. Using your owner’s manual is crucial because every model of hearing aid is different.
Here are some things you can check on most models:
- Look for noticeable damage: Does your hearing aid have any noticeable loose components or cracks in its shell? Cracks, obviously, could indicate more extensive damage (or let in moisture).
- Keep your microphone clear: Look for anything obstructing the microphone of your hearing aid. Your hearing aid may feedback or simply fail to work if the microphone is blocked.
- Wax accumulation: Be certain that there is no wax on your hearing aid by giving it a visual inspection. Wax can build up quickly even if you clean your hearing aids regularly so make sure you double check.
- 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 may be a good idea to check if those batteries are correctly inserted or if a new one resolves the problem.
Again, consult your owner’s manual on how you might address each of these issues. Self-maintenance is sometimes possible.
When does my hearing aid need repair?
Your hearing aid will probably need to be repaired professionally if you do routine maintenance and it still malfunctions. That might not always sound desirable, after all, you rely 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).
It’s certainly worth noting that “repair” doesn’t necessarily mean “mail your hearing aids in for service and wait a few weeks”. In some cases, we can fix your hearing aid in office while you wait.
Or, depending on the extent 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 set of hearing aids may be required in these cases. Maybe you have an old pair that will do temporarily in a pinch. Or maybe we have a loaner pair you can borrow.
Get help with your hearing aids without delay
If the sound quality is starting to fail, it’s essential to get your hearing aids checked and repaired.
You’ll want to try to avoid any downtime. Neglected hearing loss can impact your overall health, including your mental health. Moreover, once your hearing aids are forgotten in a box somewhere, it’s all too easy to pretend they don’t exist, all the while, your hearing gets worse and worse.
The optimum way to keep your hearing healthy is to keep those hearing aids working. Keeping them charged, clean, and when needed, professionally repaired is the best way to do that.