Hearing aids have been shown to support your health in surprising ways including improving cognitive abilities, reducing depression, and limiting your chance of falling. Which is why when your hearing aids seem like they fail to function properly, it’s so frustrating. The difference between a pleasant dinner with family or a horrible time can be made by finding a fast remedy when your hearing aid begins screeching with feedback or quits altogether.
Fortunately, some of the most fundamental hearing aid issues can be eased with a few practical troubleshooting steps. Finding out what’s happening with your hearing aid as fast as you will can you back to what’s important all the sooner.
Try Swapping Out The Batteries
A low battery is one of the most common issues with hearing aids. Rechargeable batteries come standard with some hearing aid models. Changeable batteries are standard on other hearing aids. Here are some of the symptoms that might give you a clue that the batteries are the bad guy when your device goes on the fritz:
- Dull sound quality: Voices sound muffled like they are distant or underwater.
- Weak sounds: You’re struggling to hear what’s taking place around you and that seems to be occurring more and more.
- Hearing aids won’t turn on: If your hearing aid doesn’t turn on, or keeps shutting off, there’s a good possibility the battery is the primary problem.
Some solutions:
- Having the right batteries is crucial so make certain you double check that. Putting the wrong type of battery into your hearing aid can cause malfunctions. (Occasionally, a battery will appear to be the same size as a different battery so it’s essential that you be careful and check twice.)
- Make sure you have completely charged batteries. Allow your rechargeable batteries to charge overnight or at least for several hours.
- Replace 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 case, you may need to bring the hearing aid to a specialist.
Every Surface Needs to be Cleaned
Obviously, hearing aids log a lot of time inside your ears. And there’s a lot going on in there (your ears are like party rooms, only more hygienic). So it’s no surprise that your hearing aids will get a little dirty in the process of helping you hear. Most hearing aid models are manufactured to deal with a certain amount of earwax buildup, but it’s a good idea to have a regular cleaning schedule also. Here are some of the problems that can come from too much buildup:
- Discomfort: If they feel like they’re suddenly too large for your ears, it may be because earwax accumulation has begun interfering with the fit. Sometimes, the plastic in the molds will harden and need to be replaced.
- Feedback: It’s possible that earwax buildup can obstruct the feedback canceling functions of your hearing aid, causing you to hear a whining sound.
- Muffled sound: Earwax and other buildup can cause your hearing aid to sound like it’s buried beneath something.
Some solutions:
- Bringing your hearing aid to a professional for routine upkeep is an essential procedure.
- Take care of the filter by checking it and, if needed, replacing it.
- Double-check the tip of the hearing aid to make sure it’s not covered or plugged by debris or earwax. The manufacturer will typically provide a cleaning tool which can be employed along with the manufacturer’s cleaning instruction.
- Lightly clean your hearing aids, as per the manufacturer’s suggestions.
Try Giving Yourself Some Time
The hearing aid itself isn’t always the issue. When you first pop in your hearing aids, your brain has to get used to hearing the world again. Specific sounds (the buzzing of an air conditioner, for example) may at first come across as unpleasantly loud. And certain consonants often sound louder than the rest of the speech.
As your brain works to catch up, over time, you’ll adjust.
However, it’s worthwhile not to let too much time go by, with any issue, before getting help. If your hearing aids are not comfortable or you’re getting constant noise issues or things don’t seem to be working just the way they should be, we can help get you back on track and ensure you’re enjoying, not enduring, your hearing aids.