Hearing aids have been shown to benefit your health in surprising ways including enhancing cognitive abilities, minimizing depression, and decreasing your chance of falling. Which is why when your hearing aids seem like they fail to function properly, it’s so infuriating. The difference between a delightful dinner with family or a terrible time can be made by finding a quick solution when your hearing aid begins screeching with feedback or goes silent altogether.
Fortunately, some of the most fundamental hearing aid problems can be alleviated with a few basic troubleshooting measures. figuring out what’s wrong with your hearing aid as quickly as possible will can you back to what’s important all the sooner.
Try Swapping Out The Batteries
One of the most prevalent issues with hearing aids is a low battery. Rechargeable batteries come standard with some hearing aid models. Changeable batteries are standard on other models. Here are some of the symptoms that might give you a clue that the batteries are the bad guy when your device starts to malfunction:
- Dull sound quality: Voices sound dull like they are distant or underwater.
- Weak sounds: You feel like you are constantly straining to hear what’s going on around you.
- Hearing aids won’t turn on: If your hearing aid doesn’t turn on, or won’t stay on, there’s a good possibility the battery is the primary problem.
Some solutions:
- Having the right batteries is crucial so make sure you double check that. Your hearing aid can be damaged by the wrong battery. (In some cases, the wrong kind of battery can be purchased in the correct size, so double-checking is essential.)
- If you have replaceable batteries, replace them regularly. In some situations, rechargeable batteries are sealed into the device, and if that’s the case, you might need to bring the hearing aid to a professional.
- Verify that the batteries are 100 % charged. Let your rechargeable batteries charge overnight or at least for several hours.
Try to Clean Every Surface
Obviously, hearing aids log a lot of time inside of your ears. And your ears have a lot going on inside of them. So while helping you hear, it’s not surprising that your hearing aid can get a bit dirty. Most hearing aid models are manufactured to handle some earwax accumulation, but it’s a good idea to have a regular cleaning schedule also. A few issues related to buildup and dirt may include:
- Discomfort: If they feel as though they’re suddenly too big for your ears, it may be because earwax buildup has started interfering with the fit. Sometimes, the plastic in the molds will harden and need to be exchanged.
- Muffled sound: Earwax and other buildup can make your hearing aid sound like it’s buried underneath something.
- Feedback: The feedback canceling feature on your hearing aid can be interrupted by earwax buildup generating a whistling noise.
Some solutions:
- The tip of your hearing aid can become covered and plugged up by earwax and debris so check for that. The manufacturer will often supply a cleaning tool which can be used along with the manufacturer’s cleaning instruction.
- Taking your hearing aid to a professional for routine upkeep is an essential procedure.
- Gently clean your hearing aids, as per the manufacturer’s suggestions.
- Maintain the filter by checking it and, if needed, replacing it.
Try Giving Yourself Some Time
The hearing aid itself isn’t necessarily the issue. When you first put in your hearing aids, your brain has to get accustomed to hearing the world again. As your mind adjust, you might notice that some sounds are unpleasantly loud (the hum of the refrigerator, for instance). And certain consonants frequently sound louder than the rest of the speech.
These are all signs that your brain is racing to catch up to auditory stimuli again and, in time, you’ll adjust.
However, it’s important not to let too much time pass, with any problem, before seeking help. If your hearing aids are not comfortable or you’re experiencing constant noise problems or things don’t seem to be working just the way they ought to be, we can help get you back on track and make sure you’re enjoying, not enduring, your hearing aids.