Lowering your chance of depression, decreasing your risk of falling, and enhancing cognitive ability are some of the unexpected health advantages that have been proven to come from wearing 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 terrible time can be made by finding a fast remedy when your hearing aid starts screeching with feedback or goes silent altogether.
The good news is, there are some practical troubleshooting measures you can take that may alleviate or manage some common hearing aid issues. figuring out what’s happening with your hearing aid as fast as possible will can you back to what’s important all the sooner.
Try Changing The Batteries
One of the most common issues with hearing aids is a low battery. Many hearing aids come with rechargeable batteries. Replaceable batteries are standard on other models. If you’re going through any of these symptoms, it most likely means the batteries are to blame for your hearing aid issues.
- Hearing aids won’t turn on: If your hearing aid won’t turn on, or won’t stay on, there’s a good chance the battery is the primary issue.
- Weak sounds: You’re struggling to hear what’s taking place around you and that seems to be occurring more and more.
- Dull sound quality: Voices sound muffled like they are distant or underwater.
Some solutions:
- Check twice to make certain the correct batteries are installed. Your hearing aid can be damaged by the wrong battery. (At times, the wrong kind of battery can be purchased in the right size, so double-checking is important.)
- Verify that the batteries are fully charged. Allow your rechargeable batteries to charge overnight or at least for several hours.
- Exchange the batteries if your hearing aid is designed to allow that. In some cases, rechargeable batteries are sealed into the device, and if that’s the situation, you may have to take the hearing aid to a specialist.
Every Surface Should be Cleaned
Hearing aids, naturally, spend a lot of time in your ears. And there’s a lot happening in there (your ears are like party rooms, only more hygienic). So it’s not surprising that your hearing aids can get a little dirty while helping you hear. Most hearing aid models are manufactured to cope with a certain amount of earwax accumulation, but it’s a good idea to have a regular cleaning schedule too. Here are a few of the issues that can come from too much buildup:
- Feedback: The feedback canceling function on your hearing aid can be interrupted by earwax buildup generating a whistling sound.
- Discomfort: If they feel like they’re suddenly too large for your ears, it might be because earwax accumulation has begun interfering with the fit. Occasionally, the plastic in the molds will harden and need to be replaced.
- Muffled sound: Earwax and other buildup can make your hearing aid sound like it’s buried beneath something.
Here’s what you do about it:
- Carefully clean your hearing aids, as per the manufacturer’s suggestions.
- The tip of your hearing aid can become covered and clogged up by earwax and debris so check for that. Clean with your cleaning tool or as directed by the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Check the earwax filter to make sure it’s clean; replace it if needed.
- Ensure you are sending your hearing aids to a professional for routine maintenance and cleaning.
You May Just Need a Little Time
The hearing aid itself isn’t necessarily the issue. When your brain isn’t used to hearing the outside world, it can take a little bit of time to adjust to your new hearing aids. As your mind adjust, you may notice that certain sounds are unpleasantly loud (the hum of the refrigerator, for example). And some consonants often 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 adapt.
But it’s important to get help with any problems before too much time passes. If your hearing aids are not comfortable or you’re getting constant noise issues or things don’t seem to be working exactly the way they should be, we can help get you back on track and make sure you’re enjoying, not enduring, your hearing aids.