You take good care of your hearing aids. Cleaning them daily, you make sure they are safe and snug on their charger when you go to bed.
But you get pretty discouraged when your hearing aids suddenly stop working the way they did once. There are a few things you can do to diagnose the problem, thankfully. Just don’t forget: your number one job is to refrain from damaging your hearing aid additionally (or you might have to replace them).
Hearing aid troubleshooting
Of course, when you first got your sweet new hearing aids, you made a point of putting the owner’s manual in a safe place. You’ll want to pull it out so you can utilize it for troubleshooting and, potentially, maintenance. Each model of hearing aid can be somewhat different so it’s essential to follow the manual’s recommendations.
On most models there are some other things you can check, here are a few:
- Check for visible damage: Do you see any visible cracks or loose components around the shell of your hearing aid? If you discover cracks, it could suggest that moisture is getting in and there might be more extensive damage.
- Wax accumulation: Make sure there is no wax on your hearing aid by giving it a visual check. Wax can build up quickly even if you clean your hearing aids regularly so make sure you double check.
- Check your battery: You’ll still want to assess the battery power even if you had your hearing aids on the charger at night. If your hearing aid has replaceable batteries, it might be a good plan to check if those batteries are inserted properly or if a new one fixes the issue.
- Keep your microphone clear: Check your hearing aid to find out if anything is obstructing the microphone. A blocked microphone can cause feedback or can cause your hearing aids to sound broken or quiet.
Again, consult your owner’s manual on how you might approach each of these issues. Self-maintenance is sometimes possible.
When does my hearing aid need repair?
Your hearing aid will most likely have to be repaired professionally if you do routine maintenance and it still malfunctions. That may not always sound desirable, after all, you depend on your hearing aid for day-to-day communication (not to mention dinners with your family, keeping up to date with your favorite Netflix series, and so on).
It’s certainly worth noting that “repair” doesn’t necessarily mean “mail your hearing aids in for service and wait several weeks”. In some cases, we can fix your hearing aid in office while you wait.
Or, you’ll be able to take your hearing aids in for professional help and have them back in just a few hours (this, obviously, depends on the extent of the damage, all the more reason to get your devices in for repair as soon as possible).
There are still some instances where such fast repair is not possible. And in those situations, you might find yourself needing a backup pair of hearing aids. So if you’ve got an old pair lying around, ask whether they will serve temporarily. Or maybe we have a loaner pair you can use.
Get assistance with your hearing aids without delay
If the audio quality is beginning to falter, it’s essential to get your hearing aids checked and repaired.
Any degree of downtime should be prevented. Untreated hearing loss can impact your general health, including your mental health. More to the point, once your hearing aids are ignored in a box somewhere, it’s all too easy to pretend they don’t exist, meanwhile, your hearing grows worse and worse.
Keeping those hearing aids in good working order is the secret to keeping your hearing healthy. And the best way to do that is to keep them clean, keep them charged, and, when necessary, bring your hearing aids to get some professional repair.