Difficulty hearing? Here’s how to know if your hearing aids need maintenance.
You take good care of your hearing aids. You’re really cautious with your hearing aids. Cleaning them daily, you make certain they are snug on their charger when you go to bed.
That’s why it’s so frustrating that, suddenly and distressingly, your hearing aids aren’t working properly. Thankfully, there are some steps you can take to resolve the issue. Just remember: preventing damage is your first task (or you might have to replace them).
Troubleshooting Your Hearing Aid
Always consult your owner’s manual when doing maintenance and troubleshooting because every model of hearing aid can be a bit different. On most models, these things can be checked:
- Wax buildup: Perform a visual inspection of your hearing aid to make sure that there is no wax buildup preventing normal operation. Even if you undertake routine cleaning, sometimes wax can accumulate rapidly, so it’s worth ticking this off your list.
- Check for visible damage: Check if there are any visible cracks or loose components around the shell of your hearing aid. Cracks, obviously, could indicate more significant damage (or allow).
- Check your battery: Even if you’re sure your hearing aids spent the night on the charger, you’ll want to double-check the battery power. Even rechargeable batteries have to be replaced eventually and sometimes you might not have them fully inserted.
- Keep your microphone clear:Sometimes, the microphone can be blocked. Your hearing aid will sound silent or broken or have feedback if the microphone is obstructed.
Each of these issues will have a unique solution so check your owner’s manual. In certain cases, you may be capable of performing maintenance on your own. (But, once again, read the instructions.)
Does my Hearing Aid require servicing – How do I Know?
If your hearing aid continues to malfunction after you have performed basic maintenance and troubleshooting, it’s likely that your hearing aid will require professional repair. Because you rely on your hearing aids for all of your basic conversations and social activities, this probably doesn’t sound very attractive.
But it’s essential to understand that repair doesn’t always imply sending your hearing aid away. There are some situations where it can be fixed in shop while you wait.
So in those situations, you will be able to get your hearing aid back before the day’s end (this, of course, depends on the extent of the damage, which is all the more reason to bring your devices in for repair as soon as you can).
There are still some cases where same day repair isn’t feasible. A backup pair may be necessary in those situations. So if you’ve got an old pair lying around, ask us whether they will work on a temporary basis. We may even have a pair we can loan you while you are waiting.
Don’t Wait to Get Help With Your Hearing Aids
It’s crucial to have your hearing aids serviced as soon as you experience any falter or fading of the sound quality.
That’s because you really want to avoid any downtime. Your overall health and your mental health are impacted by untreated hearing loss. An even more significant worry is that your hearing will diminish as your hearing aids sit forgotten in a drawer.
The best way to get the maximum help from your hearing aids is to keep them functioning at their highest quality. Keeping them clean and charged and if necessary, taking them in for maintenance is the best way to do that.
