Hearing aids have been proven to improve your health in unexpected ways including enhancing cognitive function, reducing depression, and limiting your chance of falling. Which is why it can be so irritating when these devices have malfunctions. The difference between a delightful dinner with family or a horrible time can be made by finding a fast solution when your hearing aid begins screeching with feedback or quits altogether.
Luckily, there are some practical troubleshooting measures you can take which could ease or address some typical hearing aid issues. Finding out what’s happening with your hearing aid as fast as you will get you back to what’s important all the sooner.
Maybe The Batteries Need to be Changed
A low battery is one of the most common issues with hearing aids. Some hearing aids have rechargeable batteries. Other devices are made to have their batteries exchanged. Here are a few of the symptoms that might lead you to believe the batteries are the culprit when your device goes on the fritz:
- Weak sounds: You’re battling to hear what’s taking place around you and that seems to be occurring more frequently.
- Hearing aids won’t turn on: There’s a good possibility that your battery is to blame if your hearing aid keeps turning itself off or doesn’t turn on at all.
- Dull sound quality: Voices sound dull like they are far away or underwater.
Here’s what you do about it:
- Make sure you have completely charged batteries. If your hearing aid has rechargeable batteries, let them charge for several hours or overnight.
- Having the right batteries is essential so make sure you double check that. Your hearing aid can be damaged by the incorrect battery. (At times, the wrong type of battery can be purchased in the correct size, so double-checking is essential.)
- If you have replaceable batteries, swap them out regularly. You might have to bring your hearing aid in to a specialist if the battery is sealed inside.
Every Surface Should be Cleaned
Hearing aids, naturally, spend a lot of time in your ears. And your ears have a lot taking place inside of them. So while helping you hear, it’s no surprise that your hearing aid can get somewhat dirty. Most hearing aid models are designed to handle a certain amount of earwax buildup, but it’s a practical idea to have a routine cleaning schedule also. Here are some of the issues that can come from too much buildup:
- Feedback: The feedback canceling function on your hearing aid can be disrupted by earwax buildup generating a whistling noise.
- Muffled sound: Earwax and other buildup can cause your hearing aid to sound like it’s buried underneath something.
- Discomfort: If they feel as if they’re suddenly too large for your ears, it may be because earwax buildup has begun interfering with the fit. The plastic will occasionally need to be replaced if it begins to harden.
Some solutions:
- Ensure you are sending your hearing aids to a specialist for regular maintenance and cleaning.
- Take care of the filter by checking it and, when needed, replacing it.
- Double-check the tip of the hearing aid to make sure it is not covered or blocked by debris or earwax. Clean with your cleaning tool or as advised by the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Carefully clean your hearing aids, as per the manufacturer’s guidelines.
You May Simply Need Some Time
In some cases, the problem isn’t a problem with the hearing aid. When you first put in your hearing aids, your brain has to get used to hearing the outside world again. As your mind adjust, you may notice that certain sounds are unpleasantly loud (the hum of the refrigerator, for example). You might also notice that certain consonant sounds may seem overly pronounced.
These are all signs that your brain is racing to catch up to sound again and, before long, you’ll adjust.
But it’s important to get help with any problems before too much time passes. If your hearing aids are uncomfortable or you’re getting constant noise issues or things don’t seem to be working exactly the way they ought to be, we can help get you back on track and make sure you’re enjoying, not enduring, your hearing aids.
