Trouble hearing? Here’s how you can know if your hearing aids need maintenance.
You take good care of your hearing aids. You baby them. You charge them each night and clean them daily.
But you can’t understand why your hearing aids aren’t working effectively and it’s very frustrating. The good news is, troubleshooting the issue is fairly simple. Keep in mind: avoiding damage is your first job (or you might have to replace them).
Troubleshooting Your Hearing Aid
Every design of hearing aid is different so make use of your owner manual for troubleshooting and maintenance. On most models, these things can be checked:
- Look for visible damage: Check if there are any noticeable loose components or cracks around the shell of your hearing aid. Cracks, clearly, could reveal more extensive damage (or allow).
- Keep your microphone clear:On occasion, the microphone can be obstructed. An obstructed microphone can create feedback or can make your hearing aid sound silent or broken.
- Wax buildup: Perform a visual inspection of your hearing aid to make sure that there is no wax accumulation interfering with normal functionality. Wax builds up rapidly so even if you have a routine cleaning schedule you still need to check for this.
- Examine your battery: Even if you’re sure 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 inserted correctly or if a new one solves the problem.
Each of these concerns will have a unique solution so check your owner’s manual. In certain cases, you may be capable of performing maintenance on your own. (Your owner’s manual is the best place to begin.)
When Does my Hearing Aid Need Repair?
If your hearing aid keeps malfunctioning after you have carried out basic maintenance and troubleshooting, it’s likely that your hearing aid will require professional repair. Because you depend on your hearing aids for all of your basic conversations and social activities, this probably doesn’t sound very attractive.
However, it’s worth mentioning that “repair” doesn’t always translate into “mail your hearing aids in” for service and wait a few weeks. There are some situations where it can be fixed in shop while you wait.
So in those cases, you will be able to get your hearing aid back in the same day (this, of course, depends on the scope of the damage, that’s all the more reason to bring it in for repair as soon as you can).
There are still some cases where same day repair isn’t possible. And on those occasions, you may find yourself in need of a backup pair of hearing aids. So if you’ve got an old pair lying around, ask us whether they will serve on a temporary basis. There may even be a loaner pair at our office that you can use until yours come back.
Don’t Put Off Getting Help With Your Hearing Aids
It’s necessary to have your hearing aids repaired as soon as you notice any falter or fading of the sound quality.
That’s because you really want to eliminate any downtime. Neglected hearing loss can impact your overall health, including your mental health. More to the point, once your hearing aids are left in a box somewhere, it’s way too easy to pretend they don’t exist, all the while, your hearing progressively worsens.
The best way to keep your hearing healthy is to keep your hearing aids functioning. And the easiest way to do that is to clean them, keep them charged, and, when needed, take your hearing aids to get some professional assistance.