Lowering your chance of depression, minimizing the danger of falling, and increasing cognitive ability are some of the unexpected health benefits that have been proven to come from using hearing aids. Which is why when your hearing aids seem like they malfunction, it’s so infuriating. When you start observing screeching feedback, or when your hearing aids suddenly stop working, quick solutions can be the difference between a pleasant family dinner or a difficult one.
Fortunately, some of the most basic hearing aid issues can be alleviated with a few basic troubleshooting measures. Finding out what’s wrong with your hearing aid as fast as possible will can you back to what’s important all the sooner.
Maybe The Batteries Need to be Swapped Out
One of the most prevalent issues with hearing aids is a low battery. Many hearing aids have rechargeable batteries. Other devices are designed to have their batteries swapped out. Here are a few of the symptoms that may lead you to believe the batteries are the culprit when your device goes on the fritz:
- Weak sounds: You feel like you are constantly straining to hear what’s going on around you.
- Hearing aids won’t turn on: There’s a good possibility that your battery is to blame if your hearing aid keeps shutting itself off or won’t turn on at all.
- Dull sound quality: Voices sound dull like they are far away or underwater.
Some solutions:
- If you have replaceable batteries, swap them out on a regular basis. In certain situations, rechargeable batteries are sealed inside of the device, and if that’s the case, you might have to take the hearing aid to a professional.
- Make sure you have fully charged batteries. Let your rechargeable batteries charge overnight or at least for several hours.
- Having the correct batteries is crucial so make certain you double check that. Your hearing aid can be damaged by the wrong battery. (At times, the wrong kind of battery can be purchased in the correct size, so double-checking is crucial.)
Try to Clean Every Surface
Obviously, hearing aids log a lot of time inside of your ears. And your ears have a lot taking place inside of them. So it’s not surprising that your hearing aids can get somewhat dirty while helping you hear. Most hearing aid models are designed to cope with a certain amount of earwax buildup, but it’s a practical idea to have a routine cleaning plan also. A few issues connected to buildup and dirt could include:
- Feedback: The feedback canceling feature on your hearing aid can be disrupted by earwax buildup generating a whistling noise.
- Muffled sound: If your hearing aid sounds like it’s hiding behind something, maybe it is. There could be earwax or other accumulation getting in the way.
- Discomfort: If they feel like they’re suddenly too large for your ears, it might be because earwax accumulation has started interfering with the fit. Occasionally, the plastic in the molds will harden and need to be exchanged.
Some solutions:
- Taking your hearing aid to a specialist for regular upkeep is an essential procedure.
- Carefully clean your hearing aids, as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
- The tip of your hearing aid can become covered and clogged up by earwax and debris so look for that. The manufacturer will normally supply a cleaning tool which can be used along with the manufacturer’s cleaning instruction.
- Examine the earwax filter to ensure it is clean; replace it if necessary.
You May Simply Need Some Time
In some cases, the issue isn’t a problem with the hearing aid. When you first put in your hearing aids, your brain needs to get used to hearing the outside world again. As your mind adapts, you may notice that certain sounds are unpleasantly loud (the hum of the refrigerator, for example). You may also notice that particular consonant sounds may seem overly pronounced.
These are all indications that your brain is racing to catch up to auditory stimuli again and, before long, you’ll adapt.
But it’s important to get help with any problems before too much time goes by. If your hearing aids are uncomfortable or you’re experiencing continuous noise problems or things don’t seem to be working just the way they ought to be, we can help get you back on track and ensure you’re enjoying, not enduring, your hearing aids.