You go out of your way to be certain your hearing aids are well cared for. Cleaning them daily, you make sure they are safe and snug on their charger when you go to bed.
But you get pretty distressed when your hearing aids suddenly stop working the way they did once. There are several things you can do to troubleshoot the issue, thankfully. Not doing any additional damage is your top priority so you won’t have to replace them.
Troubleshooting your hearing aid
You saved the owner’s manual that came with your shiny new hearing aids, right? Hopefully, you did so that you can check with your owner’s manual to undertake maintenance and troubleshooting. Following your owner’s manual is crucial because every model of hearing aid is different.
Here are some things you can check on most models:
- 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 inserted properly or if a new one fixes the problem.
- Keep your microphone clear: Check for anything blocking the microphone of your hearing aid. Your hearing aid may feedback or simply fail to work if the microphone is obstructed.
- Wax accumulation: Do a visual inspection of your hearing aid to ensure that there’s no wax accumulation interfering with standard functionality. Wax can build up quickly even if you clean your hearing aids regularly so make sure you double check.
- Check for visible damage: Does your hearing aid have any noticeable loose components or cracks around its shell? Cracks, clearly, could suggest more extensive damage (or allow in moisture).
Once again you can discover how to address each of these issues by referring to your owner’s manual. Self-maintenance is sometimes possible.
How can I tell when my hearing aid needs repair?
If your hearing aid continues to malfunction after you’ve performed basic upkeep 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 automatically be without your hearing aid for extended 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 level of the damage, you could have your hearing aids back in a few hours.
There are still some cases where such fast repair is not possible. A backup pair of hearing aids might be needed in these cases. 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 borrow.
Don’t wait to get help with your hearing aids
It’s essential to get your hearing aid assessed and repaired if you begin to notice the sound quality is starting to fail.
Any amount of downtime should be prevented. Neglected hearing loss can affect your overall health, and that includes your mental health. Moreover, once your hearing aids are ignored in a box somewhere, it’s all too easy to pretend they’re not there, meanwhile, your hearing gets worse and worse.
Keeping those hearing aids in good working order is the secret to keeping your hearing healthy. Keeping them charged, clean, and when necessary, professionally repaired is the best way to do that.