You take good care of your hearing aids. When you go to bed, you always put them snuggly on the charger and you clean them every day.
But you get pretty discouraged when your hearing aids abruptly stop working the way they did once. There are several things you can do to troubleshoot the issue, luckily. Just remember: your number one job is to avoid damaging your hearing aid additionally (or you might have to replace them).
Troubleshooting your hearing aid
Of course, when you first got your sweet new hearing aids, you made a point of storing the owner’s manual in a safe place. You’ll want to get it out so you can use it for troubleshooting and, possibly, maintenance. Following your owner’s manual is crucial because every model of hearing aid is different.
On most models there are some other things you can check, here are a few:
- Wax accumulation: Make sure there’s no wax on your hearing aid by giving it a visual inspection. Wax can build up quickly even if you clean your hearing aids regularly so make it a point to double check.
- Keep your microphone clear: Check your hearing aid to find out if anything is obstructing the microphone. Your hearing aid may feedback or merely fail to work if the microphone is obstructed.
- Check for noticeable damage: Do you notice any visible cracks or loose components around the shell of your hearing aid? If you find cracks, it could mean that moisture is getting in and there may be more extensive damage.
- Check your battery: Even if you know your hearing aids spent the night on the charger, you’ll want to double-check the battery power. It might be a good plan to check if you may need new batteries or if the old ones are correctly inserted, particularly if your batteries are replaceable.
Again, check with your owner’s manual on how you should address each of these concerns. Self-maintenance is sometimes possible.
When does my hearing aid need repair?
Your hearing aid will most likely have to be professionally repaired if you do routine maintenance and it still malfunctions. You need your hearing aids for nearly every aspect of your life so this might not sound that appealing.
It’s definitely worth noting that “repair” doesn’t always mean “send your hearing aids in for service and wait a few weeks”. Sometimes, we can do the repair in office and you can take it with you when you leave.
Or, you’ll be able to take your hearing aids in for professional assistance and get them back in a matter of 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 rapid repair is not possible. A backup set of hearing aids may be needed in these cases. Maybe 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 assistance with your hearing aids right away
It’s essential to get your hearing aid checked and repaired if you start to notice the sound quality is starting to fail.
Any amount of downtime needs to be avoided. Neglected hearing loss can impact your general health, including your mental health. And it becomes all too easy to leave your hearing aids laying in a drawer somewhere while your hearing continues to decline.
Keeping those hearing aids in excellent working order is the secret to keeping your hearing healthy. And the ideal way to do that is to clean them, keep them charged, and, when necessary, take your hearing aids to get some professional help.