If you have hearing aids but you’re still having trouble hearing, your hearing aids may need professional maintenance.
You take care of your hearing aids. You baby them. Cleaning them on a daily basis, you make certain they are snug on their charger when you go to sleep.
But you can’t figure out why your hearing aids aren’t working effectively and it’s very frustrating. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem. Keep in mind: your number one job is to avoid damaging your hearing aid further (or you may have to replace them).
Troubleshooting Your Hearing Aid
Every design of hearing aid is different so make use of your owner manual for troubleshooting and maintenance. Here are a few things you can check on most models:
- Examine your battery: Even if you know your hearing aids spent the night on the charger, you’ll want to double-check the battery level. Even rechargeable batteries have to be replaced sooner or later and sometimes you may not have them inserted fully.
- Wax buildup: Do a visual check of your hearing aid to make sure that there is no wax accumulation preventing ordinary functionality. Even if you perform regular cleaning, sometimes wax can build up quickly, so it’s worth checking this off your list.
- Check for visible damage: Check if there are any visible loose components or cracks around the shell of your hearing aid. Cracks could allow moisture in and may be an indicator of additional damage.
- Keep your microphone clear:On occasion, the microphone can be blocked. A blocked microphone can cause feedback or can cause your hearing aids to sound broken or silent.
Again, check your owner’s manual on how you should address each of these issues. 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 servicing – How do I Know?
Your hearing aid will most likely require professional repair if you keep having issues with it after carrying out these basic maintenance tasks. Because you rely on your hearing aids for all of your everyday conversations and social activities, this probably doesn’t sound very attractive.
However, it’s worth pointing out that “repair” doesn’t always translate into “mail your hearing aids in” for service and wait several weeks. In some cases, we can fix it while you wait.
Meaning, in some instances, you’ll be able to bring your hearing aids in for professional maintenance and get them back within a few minutes or hours (this is why it’s a smart idea to bring your hearing aid to us so we can ascertain the damage).
Not all scenarios can be addressed in house though. A backup pair might be necessary in those cases. So if you’ve got an old pair lying around, ask us whether they will work on a temporary basis. We may even have a pair we can loan you while you are waiting.
Get Assistance With Your Hearing Aids Sooner Rather Than Later
If your hearing aids are beginning to fade, the audio quality is starting to falter, it’s important to have it repaired.
If you do this you will be more likely to prevent any downtime. Neglected hearing loss can affect your total health, including your mental health. More to the point, once your hearing aids are forgotten in a box somewhere, it’s all too easy to pretend they don’t exist, all the while, your hearing grows worse and worse.
The best way to keep your hearing healthy is to keep your hearing aids working. And the easiest way to do that is to keep them clean, keep them charged, and, when needed, take your hearing aids to get some professional assistance.