You go out of your way to be certain your hearing aids are well taken care of. Cleaning them every day, you make sure they’re safe and comfortable on their charger when you go to sleep.
But you get pretty discouraged when your hearing aids suddenly stop working the way they did once. There are several things you can do to diagnose the problem, thankfully. Just don’t forget: your main job is to refrain from damaging your hearing aid additionally (or you may have to replace them).
Troubleshooting your hearing aid
You saved the owner’s manual that came with your beautiful new hearing aids, right? Hopefully, you did so that you can check with your owner’s manual to perform maintenance and troubleshooting. Using your owner’s manual is crucial because every model of hearing aid is different.
Here are some things you can check on most models:
- Look for noticeable damage: Does your hearing aid have any noticeable loose components or cracks in its shell? Cracks, obviously, could indicate more significant damage (or let in moisture).
- Check your battery: You’ll still want to assess the battery power even if you had your hearing aids charging overnight. If your hearing aid has replaceable batteries, it might not be a bad plan to check if those batteries are correctly inserted or if a new one resolves the problem.
- Keep your microphone clear: Check your hearing aid to find out if anything is blocking the microphone. A blocked microphone can cause feedback or can cause your hearing aids to sound broken or silent.
- Wax buildup: Make sure there is no wax on your hearing aid by giving it a visual check. Even if you perform regular cleaning, sometimes wax can build up quickly, so it’s worth checking this off your list.
Again, check with your owner’s manual on how you should approach each of these concerns. Self-maintenance is sometimes possible.
When does my hearing aid need repair?
If your hearing aid continues to malfunction after you’ve performed basic maintenance and troubleshooting, it’s likely that your hearing aid will need to be professionally repaired. You need your hearing aids for almost every facet of your life so this might not sound really appealing.
You won’t necessarily be without your hearing aid for lengthy periods of time just because it needs to be repaired. Sometimes, we can do the repair in office and you can take it with you when you go.
Or, depending on the extent of the damage, you could have your hearing aids back in a few hours.
But quick repair will not be possible in every case. And in those situations, you may find yourself in need of a backup pair of hearing aids. So if you’ve got an old pair lying around, ask whether they will serve temporarily. Or it’s possible that we have a loaner pair you can use.
Don’t wait to get assistance with your hearing aids
If the audio quality is beginning to fail, it’s essential to get your hearing aids assessed and repaired.
Any degree of downtime should be prevented. Neglected hearing loss can affect your general health, and that includes your mental health. More to the point, once your hearing aids are forgotten in a box somewhere, it’s all too easy to pretend they’re not there, all the while, your hearing gets worse and worse.
The best way to keep your hearing healthy is to keep those hearing aids working. And the best way to do that is to clean them, keep them charged, and, when needed, bring your hearing aids to get some professional help.
