Your hearing aids should help you hear better right? When they aren’t working right, it can be extremely frustrating, it’s a real “You had ONE job” situation. Here’s the good news, with regular upkeep, your hearing aids should continue to function efficiently.
Go over this list before you do anything hasty. It may be time to come in and talk with us if you find it’s not one of these common issues. Your hearing might have changed, for example, or you may need a hearing aid recalibration.
Potential Pitfall: Low Batteries
While hearing aid batteries have gotten considerably smaller and lifespans are improving, the batteries still have to be occasionally replaced or recharged. That means that it’s important to keep up with your hearing aids’ batteries. The first thing you need to do if your hearing aid begins to fail or cut in and out is check the battery.
The fix: Keep ‘em Fresh
A battery tester is a beneficial investment, especially if you like to stock up. Batteries have a shelf life so the last batteries in the pack may not have as much voltage as the first few even if you keep them sealed. Another trick: Wait five minutes after you unpack new batteries before you install them. This gives the zinc time to become active, and can possibly extend the life of the batteries.
Potential Pitfall: Grease, Grime, And Other Gross Stuff
Your hearing aids will accumulate dirt and debris regardless of how clean you keep your ears and if you have problems hearing you’re probably more conscientious about earwax. You might find yourself with a dirt issue if sounds seem a bit off or distorted.
The fix: Clean ‘em Out—And Keep Them Clean!
You can purchase a kit for cleaning your hearing aids or you can use items you already have around the house to clean them. You can use a microfiber cloth, like the kind you use to clean your cellphone or glasses, to wipe your hearing aid down after taking it apart.
Simple hygiene habits will go a long way to keeping your hearing aids clean. Whenever you do something that calls for liquid or moisture, like cleaning your face or styling your hair, take your hearing aids out and make certain your hands aren’t wet when handling them.
Potential Pitfall: Trapped Moisture
Moisture can be a real problem for hearing aids, and it doesn’t take very much to do so (you won’t need to be submerged, even sweating can be an issue). Even humidity in the air can be an issue, clogging up the hearing aid’s air vents or draining faster. Depending on how much moisture’s entered, you may experience issues from sound distortion to static, to crackling. They may even seem to stop working.
The fix: Keep ‘em Dry
Leave the battery door open when you store your hearing aid overnight and any longer than that, take the battery out. Any trapped moisture will be able to evaporate and air will be able to circulate with almost no effort on your part.
A cool, dry place is the best spot to store your hearing aids. The bedroom is a practical spot, skip the kitchen or bathroom. Keeping them in the bathroom may seem convenient but moisture is just too much. If you live in a humid climate, you may want to think about investing in a hearing aid storage box. Pricier models plug in, but less costly options use desiccants or gels (yes, like those “throw away do not eat” packets you find in the box when you buy a pair of shoes) to take in moisture.
If you’ve tried all of these and none of them are helping then it may be time for a consultation with us.
