Lowering your chance of depression, decreasing your risk of falling, and increasing cognitive ability are some of the unexpected health advantages that have been proven to come from wearing hearing aids. Which is why when your hearing aids seem like they malfunction, it’s so frustrating. The difference between an enjoyable dinner with family or a terrible time can be made by discovering a quick solution when your hearing aid starts screeching with feedback or goes silent entirely.
Fortunately, some of the most fundamental hearing aid problems can be reduced with a few practical troubleshooting steps. Finding out what’s happening with your hearing aid as quickly as you will get you back to what’s important all the sooner.
Try Swapping Out The Batteries
A low battery is one of the most prevalent issues with hearing aids. Some hearing aids come with rechargeable batteries. Other devices are made to have their batteries swapped out. If you’re going through any of these symptoms, it most likely means the batteries are the reason for your hearing aid problems.
- Dull sound quality: Voices sound muffled like they are far away or underwater.
- Weak sounds: You feel like you are constantly struggling to hear what’s happening around you.
- Hearing aids won’t turn on: If your hearing aid won’t turn on, or keeps shutting off, there’s a good possibility the battery is the primary issue.
Some solutions:
- Ensure the batteries are completely charged. If your hearing aid comes with rechargeable batteries, charge them for a few hours or overnight.
- Check twice to make certain the correct batteries are installed. Your hearing aid can be damaged by the incorrect battery. (At times, the wrong kind of battery can be purchased in the right size, so double-checking is important.)
- Swap out the batteries if your hearing aid is manufactured to allow that. In some situations, rechargeable batteries are sealed inside of the device, and if that’s the situation, you might have to take the hearing aid to a professional.
Try to Clean Every Surface
Obviously, hearing aids log a lot of time inside your ears. And there’s a lot going on in there (your ears are like party rooms, only more hygienic). So while helping you hear, it’s no surprise that your hearing aid can get a bit dirty. Most hearing aid models are designed to deal with a certain amount of earwax buildup, but it’s a good idea to have a regular cleaning plan too. Here are a few of the issues that can come from too much buildup:
- Discomfort: Earwax can accumulate to the point where your hearing aid fits a little tight. The plastic will sometimes need to be replaced if it begins to harden.
- Feedback: It’s possible that earwax buildup can interfere with the feedback canceling features of your hearing aid, causing you to hear a whistling sound.
- Muffled sound: Earwax and other buildup can make your hearing aid sound like it’s buried beneath something.
Some solutions:
- Carefully clean your hearing aids, as per the manufacturer’s suggestions.
- Take care of the filter by examining it and, if needed, replacing it.
- The tip of your hearing aid can become covered and plugged up by earwax and debris so look for that. The manufacturer will typically provide a cleaning tool which can be employed along with the manufacturer’s cleaning instruction.
- Ensure you are bringing your hearing aids to a specialist for regular maintenance and cleaning.
You May Simply Need a Little Time
The hearing aid itself isn’t always the problem. When your brain isn’t used to hearing the outside world, it can take a little bit of time to adjust to your new hearing aids. As your mind adjust, you may notice that certain sounds are unpleasantly loud (the hum of the refrigerator, for instance). And some consonants frequently sound louder than the rest of the speech.
These are all indications that your brain is racing to catch up to sound again and, in time, you’ll adjust.
Even so, it’s important not to let too much time pass, with any issue, before seeking help. 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.