Hearing aids have been shown to improve your health in surprising ways including enhancing cognitive function, reducing depression, and decreasing your chance of falling. Which is why it can be so irritating when these devices have malfunctions. The difference between a delightful dinner with family or a horrible time can be made by discovering a fast solution when your hearing aid starts screeching with feedback or goes silent entirely.
Luckily, there are some basic troubleshooting steps you can take which could ease or address some common hearing aid issues. The sooner you determine what’s wrong with your hearing aid, the sooner you can go back to what’s important.
Maybe The Batteries Need to be Changed
A low battery is one of the most common challenges with hearing aids. Rechargeable batteries come standard with many hearing aid models. Other devices are manufactured to have their batteries exchanged. If you’re going through any of these symptoms, it most likely means the batteries are the reason for your hearing aid issues.
- Weak sounds: You feel like you are always straining to hear what’s going on around you.
- Hearing aids won’t turn on: If your hearing aid doesn’t turn on, or keeps shutting off, there’s a good chance the battery is the primary issue.
- Dull sound quality: It feels as if somebody is talking to you underwater or from the other side of the room.
Some solutions:
- If you have replaceable batteries, replace them regularly. You may need to take your hearing aid in to a professional if the battery is sealed inside.
- Verify that the batteries are completely charged. If your hearing aid is equipped with rechargeable batteries, let them charge for several hours or overnight.
- Having the right batteries is essential so make sure you double check that. Your hearing aid can be damaged by the incorrect battery. (Occasionally, a battery will appear to be the same size as a different battery so it’s crucial that you be cautious and check twice.)
Every Surface Should be Cleaned
Hearing aids, obviously, spend a lot of time in your ears. And your ears have a lot taking place inside of them. So while helping you hear, it’s no surprise that your hearing aid can get a little dirty. Most hearing aid models are manufactured to cope with some earwax buildup, but it’s a good idea to have a routine cleaning schedule also. Here are a few of the issues that can come from too much buildup:
- Feedback: The feedback canceling feature on your hearing aid can be disrupted by earwax buildup generating a whistling noise.
- Muffled sound: Earwax and other buildup can cause your hearing aid to sound like it’s buried beneath something.
- Discomfort: Earwax can accumulate to the point where your hearing aid fits a little tight. The plastic will occasionally need to be replaced if it starts to harden.
Here’s what you do about it:
- Bringing your hearing aid to a professional for regular upkeep is an essential procedure.
- Double-check the tip of the hearing aid to make certain it is not covered or plugged by debris or earwax. The manufacturer will normally provide a cleaning tool which can be used along with the manufacturer’s cleaning instruction.
- Take care of the filter by examining it and, when needed, replacing it.
- Carefully clean your hearing aids, as per the manufacturer’s guidelines.
You May Simply Need a Little Time
The hearing aid itself isn’t necessarily the problem. When your brain isn’t used to hearing the outside world, it can take a little bit of time to get used to your new hearing aids. Specific sounds (the buzzing of an air conditioner, for instance) might initially seem unpleasantly loud. You may also notice that particular consonant sounds may seem overly pronounced.
These are all signs that your brain is racing to catch up to auditory stimuli again and, in time, you’ll adapt.
But it’s important to get help with any issues before too much time goes by. Your hearing aids should make your life more enjoyable, so if things aren’t working the way they ought to be, or your hearing aids are uncomfortable, contact us, we can help.