If you use hearing aids but you’re still having trouble hearing, your hearing aids may need professional maintenance.
You take good care of your hearing aids. You’re very careful with your hearing aids. You charge them each night and clean them every day.
That’s why it’s so irritating that, abruptly and distressingly, your hearing aids aren’t working properly. Luckily, troubleshooting the problem is pretty straight forward. Just remember: preventing damage is your number one job (or else replacing them could be required).
Troubleshooting Your Hearing Aid
Make sure you consult with your owner’s manual when performing upkeep and troubleshooting as every model of hearing aid can be somewhat different. On most models, these things can be checked:
- Check your battery: Always double check your battery level even if you’re sure your hearing aid sat on the charger all night. If your hearing aid has replaceable batteries, it may not be a bad idea to check if those batteries are in correctly or if a new one solves the problem.
- Look for noticeable damage: Check if there are any noticeable loose components or cracks around the shell of your hearing aid. Cracks, clearly, could indicate more substantial damage (or allow).
- Wax buildup: Do a visual check of your hearing aid to make sure that there is no wax buildup interfering with standard functionality. Even if you undertake regular cleaning, sometimes wax can accumulate rapidly, so it’s worth ticking this off your list.
- Keep your microphone clear:On occasion, the microphone can be obstructed. A blocked microphone can cause feedback or can make your hearing aid sound broken or silent.
Again, consult your owner’s manual on how you should tackle each of these issues. In certain cases, you might be able to perform maintenance on your own. (Your owner’s manual is the best place to begin.)
Does my Hearing Aid require servicing – How do I Know?
Your hearing aid will most likely require professional repair if you continue to have problems with it after performing these basic maintenance tasks. That may not always seem appealing, let’s be honest, you rely on your hearing aid for everyday communication (not to mention dinners with your family, staying current with your favorite Netflix shows, etc).
However, it’s worth mentioning that “repair” doesn’t always translate into “mail your hearing aids in” for service and wait a few weeks. In some cases, we can fix it while you wait.
That means, in some instances, you’ll be capable of bringing your hearing aids in for professional help and get them back in a matter of minutes or hours (this is the reason why it’s a smart idea to bring your hearing aid in so we can determine the damage).
There are still some circumstances where same day repair isn’t possible. A backup pair could be required in those situations. So if you have an old pair collecting dust, ask us whether they will serve on a temporary basis. There might even be a loaner set at our office that you can use until yours come back.
Get Help With Your Hearing Aids As Soon as Possible
If the hearing aids are starting to fade, the sound quality is starting to fail, it’s essential to have it repaired.
That’s because you want to avoid any downtime. Your overall health and your mental health are impacted by untreated hearing loss. More to the point, once your hearing aids are forgotten 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 those hearing aids functioning. Keeping them clean and charged and if necessary, taking them in for maintenance is the easiest way to do that.