You take good care of your hearing aids. Cleaning them every day, you make sure they’re safe and comfortable on their charger when you go to bed.
Suddenly and discouragingly, your hearing aids are no longer working the way they once did. There are a few things you can do to diagnose the problem, luckily. Just don’t forget: your main job is to avoid damaging your hearing aid further (or you may have to replace them).
Hearing aid troubleshooting
You kept the owner’s manual that came with your shiny new hearing aids, right? You’ll want to pull it out so you can utilize it for troubleshooting and, potentially, maintenance. Each model of hearing aid can be rather 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:
- Wax accumulation: Be certain that there is no wax on your hearing aid by giving it a visual inspection. Wax can accumulate quickly even if you clean your hearing aids regularly so make it a point to double check.
- Check your battery: Even if you know your hearing aids charged all night, you’ll want to double-check the battery power. If your hearing aid has replaceable batteries, it may be a good plan to check if those batteries are correctly inserted or if a new one resolves the problem.
- Keep your microphone clear: Look for anything blocking the microphone of your hearing aid. Your hearing aid may feedback or simply fail to work if the microphone is blocked.
- Look for noticeable damage: Does your hearing aid have any obvious loose components or cracks in its shell? If you discover cracks, it could suggest that moisture is getting in and there may be more significant damage.
Once again you can find out how to deal with each of these issues by referring to your owner’s manual. Self-maintenance is sometimes possible.
How can I tell when my hearing aid requires repair?
Your hearing aid will probably need to be repaired professionally if you do routine upkeep and it still malfunctions. That might not always sound appealing, after all, you rely on your hearing aid for daily communication (along with dinners with your family, staying up to date with your favorite Netflix series, and so on).
You won’t necessarily be without your hearing aid for extended periods of time just because it needs to be repaired. 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 assistance and have them back in just a few hours (this, obviously, depends on the extent of the damage, all the more reason to bring your devices in for repair as soon as possible).
There are still some cases where such fast repair isn’t possible. A backup pair of hearing aids might be necessary in these situations. Perhaps you have an old pair that will do temporarily in a pinch. We might even be able to loan you a pair while you are waiting.
Get help with your hearing aids without delay
If the sound quality is beginning to falter, it’s crucial to get your hearing aids checked and repaired.
You’ll want to prevent any downtime. Your mental health and your overall health can be impacted by neglected hearing loss. And it becomes all too easy to leave your hearing aids laying in a drawer somewhere while your hearing continues to deteriorate.
Keeping those hearing aids in excellent 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, take your hearing aids to get some professional help.