Your hearing aids should improve your hearing right? When they aren’t working correctly, it can be downright frustrating, it’s a real “You had ONE job” situation. Fortunately, your hearing aids should have no problem doing their job if you properly maintain them.
Before you do anything extreme, consider this list. If it’s not one of these common problems, it may be time to schedule an appointment with us to ensure there isn’t a bigger problem. Your hearing might have changed, for instance, or you may need a hearing aid recalibration.
Potential Pitfall: Low Batteries
While hearing aid batteries have gotten significantly smaller and lifespans are improving, the batteries still need to be replaced occasionally or recharged. So keeping up with charging your batteries is important. The first thing you should do if your hearing aid begins to fail or cut in and out is check the battery.
The fix: Keep ‘em Fresh
Purchasing a battery tester, particularly if you like to stock up, is a worthwhile idea. Batteries have a shelf life so the last batteries in the pack might not have as much voltage as the first few even if you keep them sealed. Another trick: When you open new batteries, wait 5 minutes before putting them in. This can help the batteries last longer by allowing the zinc to become active.
Potential Pitfall: Gross Things Like Wax And Grime
Your hearing aids will gather dirt and debris regardless of how clean you keep your ears and if you have problems hearing you’re most likely more conscientious about earwax. If you can hear but sounds seem distorted or slightly off, dirt could be the cause.
The fix: Clean Them Out—And Keep Them Clean!
There are lots of products on the market specifically for cleaning hearing aids, but you can DIY it with things you already have around the house. You can use a microfiber cloth, like the kind you use to clean your cellphone or glasses, to wipe your hearing aid down after taking it apart.
Simple hygiene habits will really help with keeping your hearing aids clean. Whenever you do something that calls for liquid or moisture, such as washing your face or styling your hair, take your hearing aids out and make certain your hands are dry when handling them.
Potential Pitfall: Trapped Moisture
Even a small amount of moisture can really damage your hearing aid (you don’t need to be submerged, even sweating can be a problem). Even humidity in the air can be a problem, clogging up the hearing aid’s air vents or draining faster. Problems ranging from distortion to static or even crackling might happen depending on how much moisture has gotten in. They may even seem to quit altogether.
The fix: Keep Them Dry
Make sure that when you store your hearing aids, the battery door is open; and if you’re taking them out for longer than overnight, take out the batteries entirely. It takes almost no effort and guarantees that air can circulate, and any captured moisture can escape.
Store hearing aids in a cool, dry place. The bedroom is a practical spot, skip the kitchen or bathroom. Although the latter is convenient, the moisture from a hot shower is exactly what you don’t want. If you live in a humid climate, you might want to consider investing in a hearing aid storage box. Most versions use a desiccant in the form of a little moisture absorbing packet, but some more costly models eliminate moisture with electronics.
If you’ve tried all of these and none of them are helping then it might be time for a consultation with us.