Trouble hearing? Here’s how you can know if your hearing aids require maintenance.
You take good care of your hearing aids. You’re really cautious with your hearing aids. You charge them each night and clean them daily.
That’s why it’s so irritating that, suddenly and distressingly, your hearing aids are no longer working the way they should. Luckily, troubleshooting the issue is pretty straight forward. Keep in mind: your number one task is to avoid damaging your hearing aid further (or else replacing them might be required).
Your Hearing Aid Might Need Troubleshooting
Every design of hearing aid is different so make use of your owner manual for troubleshooting and maintenance. Here are some things you can check on most models:
- Wax buildup: Perform a visual inspection of your hearing aid to make sure that there is no wax accumulation interfering with standard functionality. Even if you undertake regular cleaning, occasionally wax can accumulate rapidly, so it’s worth ticking this off your list.
- Check your battery: Always check your battery power even if you’re sure your hearing aid sat on the charger all night. Even rechargeable batteries have to be replaced eventually and sometimes you might not have them inserted fully.
- Check for noticeable damage: Cracks or loose components may occur around the shell of your hearing aids so don’t forget to check for that. Cracks could allow moisture in and may be an indicator of additional damage.
- Keep your microphone clear:On occasion, the microphone can be obstructed. Your hearing aid can sound broken or silent or have feedback if the microphone is obstructed.
Again, check your owner’s manual on how you might address each of these problems. In some cases, you might be able to perform maintenance yourself. (Your owner’s manual is the best place to begin.)
Does my Hearing Aid require Repair – How Can I Tell?
If your hearing aid continues to malfunction after you have done basic maintenance and troubleshooting, it’s likely that your hearing aid will need to be professionally repaired. That might not always seem appealing, after all, you depend on your hearing aid for everyday communication (along with dinners with your family, keeping up to date with your favorite Netflix shows, and so on).
But it’s important to understand that repair doesn’t always imply sending your hearing aid out for repair. Sometimes, we can fix it while you wait.
That means, in some cases, you’ll be able to bring your hearing aids in for professional help and get them back in a matter of minutes or hours (this is why it’s a good idea to bring your hearing aid to us so we can determine the damage).
There are still some circumstances where such rapid repair is not possible. A backup pair may be required in those situations. So if you’ve got an old pair collecting dust, ask us whether they will serve on a temporary basis. We may even have a pair we can loan you while you are waiting.
Don’t Wait to Get Help With Your Hearing Aids
It’s necessary to have your hearing aids serviced as soon as you experience any falter or fading of the audio quality.
That’s because you hope to eliminate any downtime. Neglected hearing loss can influence your total health, including your mental health. An even more serious worry is that your hearing will get worse as your hearing aids sit ignored in a drawer.
The best way to keep your hearing healthy is to keep your hearing aids working. Keeping them clean and charged and if necessary, bringing them in for maintenance is the easiest way to do that.