Trouble hearing? Here’s how you can know if your hearing aids require maintenance.
You take care of your hearing aids. You’re really careful with your hearing aids. You charge them each night and clean them every day.
That’s why it’s so frustrating that, abruptly and distressingly, your hearing aids aren’t working properly. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to resolve the issue. Just remember: your number one job is to avoid damaging your hearing aid further (or you might need to get new ones).
Troubleshooting Your Hearing Aid
Every design of hearing aid is different so use your owner manual for troubleshooting and maintenance. Here are a few things you can check on most models:
- Look for visible damage: Check to see if there are any visible loose components or cracks around the shell of your hearing aid. Cracks, obviously, could reveal more significant damage (or allow).
- Wax buildup: Inspect for wax buildup which could be impeding the normal functionality of your hearing aids. Even if you do routine cleaning, sometimes wax can accumulate quickly, so it’s worth ticking this off your list.
- Keep your microphone clear: Check for anything blocking the microphone of your hearing aid. Your hearing aid might sound silent or broken or have feedback if the microphone is blocked.
- Check your battery: Even if you’re sure your hearing aids spent the night on the charger, you’ll want to double-check the battery level. Even rechargeable batteries have to be replaced eventually and sometimes you might not have them fully inserted.
Again, check your owner’s manual on how you might address each of these problems. In some cases, you might be able to perform maintenance yourself. (Your owner’s manual is the best place to begin.)
When Does my Hearing Aid Need Repair?
Your hearing aid will most likely need professional servicing if you keep having problems with it after carrying out these basic maintenance tasks. Because you rely on your hearing aids for all of your everyday conversations and social activities, this probably doesn’t sound very attractive.
However, it’s worth pointing out that “repair” doesn’t always mean you need to “mail your hearing aids in” for service and wait a number of weeks. In some cases, we can repair it while you wait.
So in those situations, you will be able to get your hearing aid back before the day’s end (this is why it’s a smart idea to bring your hearing aid to us so we can assess the damage).
There are still some circumstances where same day repair isn’t possible. And in those cases, you could 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. We might even have some we can let you use while you wait.
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 have it repaired.
That’s because you want to eliminate any downtime. Untreated hearing loss can affect your overall health, and that includes your mental health. An even more significant worry is that your hearing will get worse as your hearing aids sit forgotten in a drawer.
The best way to get the maximum help from your hearing aids is to keep them working at their highest quality. And the easiest way to do that is to clean them, keep them charged, and, when necessary, take your hearing aids to get some professional assistance.