Reducing your chance of depression, minimizing your risk of falling, and improving cognitive ability are some of the unsuspected health benefits 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 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 starts screeching with feedback or goes silent altogether.
The good news is, there are some practical troubleshooting steps you can take which could relieve or manage some common hearing aid issues. Finding out what’s happening with your hearing aid as fast as you will get you back to what’s important all the sooner.
Maybe The Batteries Need to be Changed
A low battery is one of the most common challenges with hearing aids. Some hearing aids come with rechargeable batteries. Other devices are made to have their batteries exchanged. If you’re going through any of these symptoms, it probably means the batteries are the reason for your hearing aid issues.
- Dull sound quality: It seems like someone is talking to you underwater or from across the room.
- Hearing aids won’t turn on: There’s a good possibility that your battery is the issue if your hearing aid keeps shutting itself off or doesn’t turn on at all.
- Weak sounds: You’re battling to hear what’s taking place around you and that seems to be occurring more and more.
Here’s what you do about it:
- Make certain you have fully charged batteries. Let your rechargeable batteries charge overnight or for at least a few hours.
- Having the correct batteries is essential so make certain you double check that. Your hearing aid can be damaged by the wrong battery. (Sometimes, the wrong kind of battery can be purchased in the right size, so double-checking is crucial.)
- If you have replaceable batteries, replace them regularly. You might have to take your hearing aid in to a professional if the battery is sealed inside.
Every Surface Needs to be Cleaned
Needless to say, hearing aids log a lot of time inside of your ears. And your ears have a lot going on inside of them. So in the process of helping you hear, it’s no surprise that your hearing aid can get a little dirty. In spite of the fact that hearing aids are made to deal with some earwax, it’s a good idea to have them cleaned once in a while. Here are a few of the issues that can come from too much buildup:
- Discomfort: If they feel as though they’re suddenly too big for your ears, it could be because earwax buildup has started interfering with the fit. Occasionally, the plastic in the molds will harden and need to be exchanged.
- Muffled sound: Earwax and other buildup can cause your hearing aid to sound like it’s buried underneath something.
- Feedback: The feedback canceling feature on your hearing aid can be interrupted by earwax buildup generating a whistling noise.
Some solutions:
- Bringing your hearing aid to a professional for regular upkeep is an essential procedure.
- Take care of the filter by examining it and, if needed, replacing it.
- Double-check the tip of the hearing aid to make sure it is not covered or blocked by earwax or debris. Clean with your cleaning tool or as directed by the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Clean your hearing aid carefully in the way that the manufacturer has instructed.
Try Giving Yourself a Little Time
The hearing aid itself isn’t necessarily the problem. When you first pop in your hearing aids, your brain needs to get accustomed to hearing the outside world again. Certain sounds (the buzzing of an air conditioner, for instance) may initially come across as unpleasantly loud. You may also notice that particular consonant sounds might seem overly pronounced.
These are all signs that your brain is racing to catch up to auditory stimuli again and, in time, you’ll adjust.
But it’s worthwhile to get help with any issues before too much time passes. Your hearing aids should make your life more enjoyable, so if things aren’t working the way they ought to be, or your hearing aids are uncomfortable, contact us, we can help.