If you have hearing aids but you’re still having difficulty hearing, your hearing aids might require professional maintenance.
You take care of your hearing aids. You baby them. Cleaning them every day, you make sure they are snug on their charger when you go to sleep.
That’s why it’s so annoying that, suddenly and distressingly, your hearing aids are no longer working the way they should. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to resolve the problem. Just remember: your number one job is to avoid damaging your hearing aid further (or else replacing them might be necessary).
Your Hearing Aid Might Need Troubleshooting
Always consult with your owner’s manual when doing maintenance and troubleshooting as every model of hearing aid can be somewhat different. Here are a few things you can check on most models:
- Check your battery: Even if you’re sure your hearing aids spent the night on the charger, you’ll want to double-check the battery power. If your hearing aid has replaceable batteries, it may be a good idea to check if those batteries are inserted properly or if a new one solves the problem.
- Keep your microphone clear: Check for anything obstructing the microphone of your hearing aid. An obstructed microphone can create feedback or can cause your hearing aids to sound silent or broken.
- Wax buildup: Do a visual examination of your hearing aid to ensure that there is no wax buildup interfering with ordinary operation. Even if you undertake routine cleaning, sometimes wax can build up quickly, so it’s worth checking this off your list.
- Look for visible damage: Cracks or loose components could appear around the shell of your hearing aids so remember to inspect for that. Cracks could allow moisture in and might be an indicator of additional damage.
Each of these issues will have its own solution so consult your owner’s manual. In certain cases, you may be capable of performing maintenance on your own. (Your owner’s manual is the best place to begin.)
Does my Hearing Aid require servicing – How Can I Tell?
If your hearing aid keeps malfunctioning after you have done basic maintenance and troubleshooting, it’s likely that your hearing aid will require professional repair. That might not always sound appealing, after all, you depend on your hearing aid for everyday communication (along with dinners with your family, staying current with your favorite Netflix shows, etc).
But it’s beneficial to understand that repair doesn’t always mean sending your hearing aid away. In some cases, we can fix it while you wait.
So in those cases, you will be able to get your hearing aid back in the same day (this, of course, depends on the extent of the damage, which is all the more reason to bring your devices in for repair as soon as you can).
Not all scenarios can be addressed in house though. A backup pair could be necessary in those cases. So if you’ve got an old pair lying around, ask us whether they will work temporarily. There may even be a loaner pair at our office that we can loan you until yours come back.
Get Assistance With Your Hearing Aids Right Away
It’s necessary to get your hearing aids repaired as soon as you notice any falter or fading of the audio quality.
If you do this you will be more likely to eliminate any downtime. Neglected hearing loss can affect your overall health, and that includes your mental health. More to the point, once your hearing aids are ignored in a box somewhere, it’s all too easy to pretend they don’t exist, even as, your hearing grows worse and worse.
The best way to get the maximum help from your hearing aids is to keep them working at their highest quality. Keeping them charged and clean and if necessary, bringing them in for service is the easiest way to do that.