Problems With Your Hearing Aid? Try This

Reducing your chance of depression, minimizing your risk of falling, and increasing cognitive ability are some of the surprising health advantages that have been proven to come from using hearing aids. Which is why when these devices seem like they fail to function properly, it’s so infuriating. The difference between an enjoyable dinner with family or a horrible time can be made by finding a fast solution when your hearing aid begins screeching with feedback or goes silent entirely.

Fortunately, some of the most fundamental hearing aid problems can be eased with a few basic troubleshooting measures. The sooner you ascertain what’s going on with your hearing aid, the sooner you can get back to what’s important.

Maybe The Batteries Need to be Swapped Out

A low battery is one of the most common challenges with hearing aids. Rechargeable batteries come standard with some hearing aid models. Changeable batteries are standard on other hearing aids. If you’re going through any of these symptoms, it probably means the batteries are to blame for your hearing aid problems.

• Weak sounds: You’re struggling to hear what’s taking place around you and that seems to be occurring more frequently.
• Dull sound quality: Voices sound muffled like they are distant or underwater.
• Hearing aids won’t turn on: There’s a good chance that your battery is the issue if your hearing aid keeps turning itself off or doesn’t turn on at all.

Some solutions:

• Exchange the batteries if your hearing aid is manufactured to allow that. In some situations, rechargeable batteries are sealed into the device, and if that’s the situation, you might need to bring the hearing aid to a professional.
• Make sure the batteries are fully charged. If your hearing aid comes with rechargeable batteries, let them charge for a few hours or overnight.
• Check twice to make certain the right batteries are installed. Your hearing aid can be damaged by the incorrect battery. (Occasionally, a battery will seem to be the same size as a different battery so it’s essential 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 not surprising that your hearing aid can get a bit dirty. Most hearing aid models are manufactured to deal with a certain amount of earwax buildup, but it’s a practical idea to have a regular cleaning plan too. A few problems linked to buildup and dirt may include:

• Muffled sound: If your hearing aid sounds like it’s lost behind something, it might just be. There may be earwax or other accumulation getting in the way.
• Discomfort: If they feel as if they’re suddenly too large for your ears, it might be because earwax buildup has started interfering with the fit. Sometimes, the plastic in the molds will harden and need to be replaced.
• Feedback: The feedback canceling function on your hearing aid can be disrupted by earwax buildup creating a whistling sound.

Here’s what you do about it:

• Ensure you are bringing your hearing aids to a professional for routine maintenance and cleaning.
• The tip of your hearing aid can become covered and plugged up by earwax and debris so look for that. The manufacturer will usually supply a cleaning tool which can be employed along with the manufacturer’s cleaning instruction.
• Gently clean your hearing aids, as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Maintain the filter by examining it and, if needed, replacing it.

Try Giving Yourself Some Time

The hearing aid itself isn’t always the issue. When you first put in your hearing aids, your brain has to get accustomed to hearing the outside world again. Particular sounds (the buzzing of an air conditioner, for example) might initially come across as unpleasantly loud. And some consonants frequently sound louder than the rest of the speech.

These are all indications that your brain is racing to catch up to auditory stimuli again and, in time, you’ll adapt.

However, it’s important not to let too much time pass, with any issue, before getting help. If your hearing aids are uncomfortable or you’re getting constant noise problems or things don’t seem to be working exactly 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.