Troubleshooting Your Hearing Aids
Hearing aids may well be technologically advanced, but as with all electronics, they do require care and maintenance to function optimally. When subjected to humidity, moisture, and debris, your hearing aids can malfunction. As such, it is important to care for your hearing aids. With a few simple steps, you will remain connected to your world by ensuring optimal listening and performance.
Daily Maintenance
Remove your hearing aid when you use cosmetics, perfume, aftershave, hair spray, and sun lotion.
Use a soft cloth, tissue, or appropriate cleaning tools to remove earwax, grease, or moisture. Do not use water or solvents because they could damage your hearing aids.
Store your hearing aids when not in use in a cool, dry place and open the battery pack to maintain battery power.
Weekly Maintenance
To keep the receiver tube and receiver dome clean, use a moist cloth. Do not use a direct water source when cleaning the receiver tubes or dome.
Common Hearing Aid Issues
Contact us if your hearing aids begin to malfunction despite your best efforts. Below are a few common hearing aid issues and what you can do to troubleshoot them.
The Hearing Aids are Whistling
This usually means that your hearing aid has not been correctly inserted. Take it out and again try to insert it. If you are wearing a hood or a hat, they can obstruct the sound and cause the feedback to bounce into your hearing aid.
If the problem remains, your ear canal size or shape may have changed, or you might have accumulated earwax, which causes your hearing aid to no longer fit snugly. Contact us for a refitting.
The Sound Is Distorted Or Quiet
When you don’t experience clear, crisp sound from your hearing aid, it could be due to a number of issues.
Your device could be dirty and need a cleaning. Get your cleaning kit out, replace the filter and tubing, and gently brush the mic and speaker to try and clear any wax and waste that might cause an obstruction.
The battery compartment may also need to be cleaned periodically. Use a cotton swab carefully to wipe the battery contacts. The battery can also be swabbed to clear off any debris.
You should also check the moisture you have built up. You may see condensation in the tube if you have a hearing aid with a receiver tube. If so, place your device for a few hours in a dehumidifier box or drying kit and see if it helps.
Finally, distorted sound could also indicate that your battery is dying. Try changing the battery to see if that helps. If none of these things work, contact us for a professional cleaning or repair.
There Is No Sound
First, check the volume control (where applicable) to ensure that you have not accidentally turned it down. If you have a T-coil option for your hearing aid, make sure that the switch is turned off.
Check your battery. Make sure that the batteries are properly placed and that the battery door can close.
It's Not Turning On
Replace the battery, even if you've just replaced it. Sometimes you get a bad batch of batteries, and your hearing aid isn't adequately powered. We recommend that you try a completely fresh battery to be safe.
It may sound silly, but double-check if you have used the correct battery size, remove the backing from the plastic and insert it properly into the battery compartment.
Check also for battery or battery contact area corrosion. Use a cotton swab to wipe the clean compartment when you see corrosion.
When Are Repairs Required?
If you can not solve your hearing aid problem, the next step is to contact our team of hearing professionals. Contact us for an appointment if:
- You have tried to repair your devices with the advice above, and they still don't work.
- Your hearing aids were damaged physically. For instance, in the case of a crack, or a piece is missing.
- You think part of the matter is that your hearing needs have changed and that you need to reprogram your hearing aid.
Depending on the type of repairs you need, we might be able to perform them in the store during your appointment. But sometimes that is not possible, and the necessary repairs have to be sent to the manufacturer.
Maintaining your hearing aids will ensure they work for years to come! For more information, contact us today.
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RemoteCare App for Oticon Hearing Aid Users
If you have Oticon hearing aids, it could be beneficial to download the RemoteCare App. This app enables you to hold a virtual appointment with our team at Advanced Hearing Aid Associates and allows us to remotely adjust your hearing aids. Learn more about the Oticon RemoteCare app here and download instructions for use here.