Your hearing aids should improve your hearing right? When your hearing aid stops doing its job, it can be really frustrating. Luckily, your hearing aids should have no problem doing their job if you properly maintain them.
Go over this list before you do anything rash. It might be time to come in and see us if you find it isn’t one of these common problems. Your hearing may have changed, for example, or you might need a hearing aid recalibration.
Potential Pitfall: Low Batteries
While hearing aid batteries have gotten significantly smaller and lifespans are improving, the batteries still have to be occasionally replaced or recharged. So staying on top of charging your batteries is important. The first thing you need to do if your hearing aid starts to falter or cut in and out is check the battery.
The fix: Keep ‘em Fresh
A battery tester is a beneficial investment, particularly if you like to stock up. Even if you keep batteries sealed until it’s time to use them, always a smart plan, they have a limited shelf life, and so the last batteries in that huge pack you bought months ago probably won’t last as long as the first few did. Another trick: When you unpack new batteries, wait 5 minutes before installing them. This can help extend the battery life by allowing the zinc to activate.
Potential Pitfall: Gross Things Like Wax And Grime
Regardless of how clean you keep your ears, and if you have a tough time hearing, you’re much more likely than the average individual to stay on top of earwax, your hearing aids will gather debris and dirt. If you’re able to hear but sounds seem distorted or somewhat off, dirt could be the cause.
The fix: Clean ‘em Out—And Keep Them Clean!
You can get a kit for keeping your hearing aids clean or you can use things you already have around the house to keep them clean. You can use a microfiber cloth, like the kind you use to clean your computer screen or cellphone, to wipe your hearing aid down after taking it apart.
Simple hygiene habits will go a long way to keeping your hearing aids clean. Wash and dry your hands before you take care of your hearing aids, and take them out while you’re doing things, such as washing your face, styling your hair, or even shaving, that may put them at risk of being spritzed, sprayed, or splattered.
Potential Pitfall: Trapped Moisture
Even a little bit of moisture can really damage your hearing aid (think sweating, not deep-sea diving). Even humidity in the air can be a problem, clogging up the hearing aid’s air vents or causing batteries to drain faster. Problems ranging from distortion to static or even crackling may happen depending on how much moisture is inside. They might even seem to shut down.
The fix: Keep Them Dry
Leave the battery door open when you store your hearing aid overnight and any longer than that, take the battery out. It takes almost zero effort and ensures that air can move, and any captured moisture can get out.
A cool, dry place is the best spot to keep your hearing aids. The bedroom is a practical spot, skip the bathroom or kitchen. Although the latter is convenient, the steam from a hot shower is precisely what you don’t want. You will likely want to get a hearing aid storage box if you live in an overly humid climate. Most models use a desiccant in the form of a little moisture absorbing packet, but some more expensive models eliminate moisture with electronics.
None of the above are working? It may be time to consult us.