Difficulty hearing? Here’s how to know if your hearing aids require maintenance.
You take good care of your hearing aids. You baby them. Cleaning them daily, you make certain they are snug on their charger when you go to bed.
But you can’t understand why your hearing aids aren’t working effectively and it’s really annoying. Luckily, troubleshooting the issue is fairly simple. Keep in mind: your number one job is to avoid damaging your hearing aid further (or you might have to replace them).
Troubleshooting Your Hearing Aid
Always consult with your owner’s manual when performing upkeep and troubleshooting because every model of hearing aid can be a bit different. On most models, these things can be checked:
- Check your battery: Always double check your battery power even if you’re certain your hearing aid charged all night. Even rechargeable batteries have to be replaced sooner or later and sometimes you might not have them fully inserted.
- Keep your microphone clear:Sometimes, the microphone can be blocked. A blocked microphone can create feedback or can cause your hearing aids to sound broken or silent.
- Check for noticeable damage: Loose components or cracks could appear around the shell of your hearing aids so don’t forget to inspect for that. Cracks, obviously, could reveal more significant damage (or allow).
- Wax accumulation: Inspect for wax accumulation which could be impeding the standard functionality of your hearing aids. Even if you undertake regular cleaning, sometimes wax can build up quickly, so it’s worth checking this off your list.
Again, consult your owner’s manual on how you might address each of these issues. In certain cases, you might be capable of performing maintenance yourself. (But, once again, read the instructions.)
When Does my Hearing Aid Need 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. 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 noting that “repair” doesn’t always mean you need to “send your hearing aid out” for service and wait a number of weeks. There are some scenarios where it can be repaired in shop while you wait.
That means, in some instances, you’ll be able to bring your hearing aids in for professional help and have them back within a few minutes or hours (this, of course, depends on the extent of the damage, which is all the more reason to bring your devices in for repair as soon as you can).
There are still some circumstances where such rapid repair is not feasible. A backup pair may be required in those cases. An old pair may be able to do an adequate job as a backup so if you have an old pair, bring them in with you. There might even be a loaner pair at our office that we can loan you until you get yours back.
Don’t Put Off Getting Help With Your Hearing Aids
If the hearing aids are beginning to fade, the audio quality is starting to falter, it’s crucial to get it repaired.
If you do this you will be more likely to eliminate any downtime. Neglected hearing loss can impact your overall health, including your mental health. An even more significant worry is that your hearing will diminish as your hearing aids sit forgotten in a drawer.
The best way to keep your hearing healthy is to keep your hearing aids functioning. And the best way to do that is to keep them clean, keep them charged, and, when necessary, take your hearing aids to get some professional help.