You take care of your hearing aids. Cleaning them every day, you make sure they are safe and snug on their charger when you go to sleep.
But you get pretty distressed when your hearing aids abruptly stop working the way they used to. Fortunately, there are some measures you can take to diagnose the issue. Not doing any additional damage is your top priority so you won’t have to replace them.
Troubleshooting your hearing aid
Naturally, when you first got your sweet new hearing aids, you made a point of storing the owner’s manual in a safe spot. You’ll want to get it out so you can use it for troubleshooting and, possibly, maintenance. Using your owner’s manual is essential 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: Be certain that 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.
- Check for noticeable damage: Does your hearing aid have any obvious loose components or cracks in its shell? If you discover cracks, it could mean that moisture is getting in and there could be more extensive damage.
- Keep your microphone clear: Check your hearing aid to find out if anything is blocking the microphone. Your hearing aid might feedback or merely fail to work if the microphone is blocked.
- Check your battery: You’ll still want to check the battery power even if you had your hearing aids on the charger at night. It might be a good idea to check if you might need new batteries or if the old ones are correctly inserted, particularly if your batteries are replaceable.
Once again you can learn how to address each of these issues by consulting your owner’s manual. In some cases, you may be able to perform maintenance yourself.
When does my hearing aid need repair?
If your hearing aid keeps malfunctioning after you have performed basic maintenance and troubleshooting, it’s likely that your hearing aid will need to be professionally repaired. That might not always sound desirable, after all, you rely on your hearing aid for day-to-day communication (not to mention dinners with your family, keeping up to date with your favorite Netflix series, and so on).
It’s certainly worth taking note that “repair” doesn’t always mean “send your hearing aids in for service and wait a few weeks”. In some instances, we can fix your hearing aid in office while you wait.
Or, you’ll be able to bring your hearing aids in for professional help and get them back in a matter of a few hours (this, of course, depends on the extent of the damage, all the more reason to bring your devices in for repair as soon as you can).
There are still some cases where such quick repair isn’t possible. And in those cases, you may find yourself in need of a backup pair of hearing aids. So if you have an old pair lying around, ask whether they will serve temporarily. Or maybe we have a loaner pair you can borrow.
Get help with your hearing aids right away
If the sound quality is beginning to fail, it’s essential to get your hearing aids assessed and repaired.
You’ll want to prevent any downtime. 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 key to keeping your hearing healthy. Keeping them charged, clean, and when needed, professionally repaired is the best way to do that.