Reducing your chance of depression, decreasing the danger of falling, and enhancing cognitive ability are some of the unsuspected health advantages that have been shown to come from wearing hearing aids. Which is why it can be so aggravating when these devices fail to function properly. When you start noticing buzzing feedback, or when your hearing aids abruptly go silent, quick solutions can make the difference between a pleasant family dinner or a miserable one.
Fortunately, some of the most fundamental hearing aid problems can be reduced with a few practical troubleshooting measures. 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
One of the most prevalent problems with hearing aids is a low battery. Rechargeable batteries come standard with many hearing aid models. Replaceable batteries are standard on other models. Here are a few of the symptoms that might give you a clue that the batteries are the bad guy when your device starts to malfunction:
- Weak sounds: You feel like you are always struggling to hear what’s happening around you.
- Dull sound quality: It feels like someone is talking to you underwater or from the other side of the room.
- Hearing aids won’t turn on: There’s a good chance that your battery is to blame if your hearing aid keeps shutting itself off or won’t turn on at all.
Some solutions:
- If you have replaceable batteries, replace them regularly. In certain situations, rechargeable batteries are sealed into the device, and if that’s the case, you may have to bring the hearing aid to a specialist.
- Double-check to make certain the correct batteries are installed. Putting the wrong kind of battery into your hearing aid can result in malfunctions. (At times, the wrong kind of battery can be purchased in the right size, so double-checking is important.)
- Verify that the batteries are 100 % charged. If your hearing aid comes with rechargeable batteries, charge them for several hours or overnight.
Every Surface Needs to be Cleaned
Hearing aids, naturally, spend a lot of time in 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 can get somewhat dirty while helping you hear. Despite the fact that hearing aids are made to cope with some earwax, it’s a practical idea to have them cleaned now and again. A few issues linked to buildup and dirt might include:
- Feedback: The feedback canceling feature on your hearing aid can be interrupted by earwax buildup generating a whistling sound.
- Muffled sound: Earwax and other buildup can cause your hearing aid to sound like it’s buried beneath something.
- Discomfort: Earwax can buildup to the point where the fit of your hearing aid becomes a little tight. The plastic will occasionally need to be replaced if it begins to harden.
Here’s what you do about it:
- Double-check the tip of the hearing aid to make sure it is not covered or blocked by debris or earwax. Clean with your cleaning tool or as advised by the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Taking your hearing aid to a professional for regular upkeep is an important procedure.
- Lightly clean your hearing aids, as per the manufacturer’s guidelines.
- Check the earwax filter to ensure it’s clean; replace it if needed.
Try Giving Yourself Some Time
Sometimes, the issue isn’t a problem with the hearing aid. When your brain isn’t used to hearing the outside world, it can take a little time to get used to your new hearing aids. As your mind adapts, you might notice that certain sounds are unpleasantly loud (the hum of the refrigerator, for instance). You might also detect that particular consonant sounds might seem overly pronounced.
These are all clues that your brain is racing to catch up to auditory stimuli again and, before long, you’ll adjust.
But it’s worthwhile 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 should be, or your hearing aids are uncomfortable, give us a call, we can help.