You take care of your hearing aids. When you go to bed, you always put them snuggly on the charger and you clean them every day.
Suddenly and distressingly, your hearing aids are no longer working the way they used to. There are several things you can do to troubleshoot the issue, thankfully. Not doing any further damage is your top priority so you won’t have to replace them.
Hearing aid troubleshooting
You saved the owner’s manual that came with your shiny new hearing aids, right? Hopefully, you did so that you can check with your owner’s manual to undertake maintenance and troubleshooting. Using your owner’s manual is essential because every model of hearing aid is different.
Here are some things you can check on most models:
- Check your battery: You’ll still want to check the battery power even if you had your hearing aids charging overnight. If your hearing aid has replaceable batteries, it may not be a bad plan to check if those batteries are inserted properly or if a new one solves the issue.
- Check for visible damage: Does your hearing aid have any apparent loose components or cracks in its shell? If you find cracks, it could mean that moisture is getting in and there might be more significant damage.
- Keep your microphone clear: Look for anything blocking the microphone of your hearing aid. Your hearing aid might feedback or merely fail to work if the microphone is obstructed.
- Wax accumulation: Be certain that there is no wax on your hearing aid by giving it a visual check. Even if you undertake routine 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 should address each of these concerns. Self-maintenance is sometimes possible.
When does my hearing aid require repair?
If your hearing aid continues to malfunction after you’ve performed basic upkeep and troubleshooting, it’s likely that your hearing aid will have to be professionally repaired. That may not always sound desirable, after all, you rely on your hearing aid for daily communication (along with dinners with your family, staying up to date with your favorite Netflix series, and so on).
You won’t automatically be without your hearing aid for extended periods of time just because it needs to be repaired. In some instances, we can repair your hearing aid in office while you wait.
Or, you’ll be able to take your hearing aids in for professional assistance and have them back in a matter of a few hours (this, of course, depends on the extent of the damage, all the more reason to bring your devices in for repair as soon as possible).
There are still some cases where such rapid repair is not possible. A backup pair of hearing aids might be required in these cases. Perhaps you have an old pair that will do temporarily in a pinch. We might even be able to loan you a pair while you are waiting.
Get assistance with your hearing aids right away
If the sound quality is beginning to falter, it’s essential to get your hearing aids checked and repaired.
Any amount of downtime needs to be avoided. Untreated hearing loss can affect your general health, and that includes your mental health. And it becomes all too easy to leave your hearing aids sitting in a drawer somewhere while your hearing continues to decline.
The optimum way to keep your hearing working properly is to keep those hearing aids working. And the best way to do that is to keep them clean, keep them charged, and, when needed, bring your hearing aids to get some professional repair.