If you have hearing aids, you should be able to hear, right? When your hearing aid fails at its one job, it can be extremely frustrating. Luckily, your hearing aids should have no problem doing their job if you take proper care of them.
Before you do anything drastic, go through this list. If it’s not one of these common issues, it might be time to pay us a visit to ensure there isn’t a larger issue. For example, your hearing aids may need recalibration, or your hearing could have changed.
Potential Pitfall: Low Batteries
While hearing aid batteries have gotten significantly smaller and lifespans are getting better, the batteries still need to be replaced occasionally or recharged. That means that it’s important to maintain your hearing aids’ batteries. The first thing you need to do if your hearing aid begins to falter or cut in and out is check the battery.
The fix: Keep ‘em Fresh
A battery tester is a beneficial investment, especially if you like to stock up. Even if you keep batteries sealed until it’s time to use them, always a smart plan, they have a limited shelf life, and so the last batteries in that giant pack you purchased months ago most likely won’t hold a charge as long as the first few did. Another trick: Wait five minutes after you open new batteries before you put them in your hearing aids. This can help the batteries last longer by allowing the zinc to activate.
Potential Pitfall: Gross Things Like Wax And Grime
No matter how clean you keep your ears, and if you have a hard time hearing, you’re a lot more likely than the average individual to pay attention to earwax, your hearing aids will gather debris and dirt. You might find yourself with a dirt issue if sounds seem a little off or distorted.
The fix: Clean Them Out—And Keep Them Clean!
You can purchase a kit for cleaning your hearing aids or you can use items you already have around the house to clean them. You can use a microfiber cloth, like the kind you use to clean your cellphone or glasses, to wipe your hearing aid down after disassembling it.
Simple hygiene practices will go a long way to keeping your hearing aids clean. Clean and dry your hands before you handle your hearing aids, and remove them while you’re doing things, like washing your face, styling your hair, or even shaving, that may put them in jeopardy of being spritzed, sprayed, or splashed.
Potential Pitfall: Trapped Moisture
Even a little bit of moisture can really harm your hearing aid (you won’t need to be underwater, even sweating can be a problem). The vent in the hearing aid and the battery can even be effected by humidity in the air. Issues ranging from distortion to static or even crackling might happen depending on how much moisture has gotten in. They might even appear to quit altogether.
The fix: Keep Them Dry
Be certain that when you store your hearing aids, you open the battery door; and if you’re taking them out for longer than 24 hours, take out the batteries entirely. Any trapped moisture will be able to evaporate and air will be able to circulate with very little effort on your part.
A cool, dry place is the best spot to store your hearing aids. The bedroom is a smart spot, skip the kitchen or bathroom. Although the latter is convenient, the moisture from a hot shower is specifically what you don’t want. You will probably want to get a hearing aid storage box if you live in an overly humid environment. Most models use a desiccant in the form of a small moisture absorbing packet, but some more expensive versions get rid of moisture with electronics.
If you’ve tried all of these and none of them are helping then it may be time for a consultation with us.