Your hearing aids should help you hear better right? When they aren’t working properly, it can be extremely infuriating, it’s a real “You had ONE job” scenario. The good news is, with regular upkeep, your hearing aids should be up to the job.
Go through this list before you do anything hasty. If it’s not one of these ordinary issues, it might be time to schedule an appointment with us to ensure there isn’t a bigger issue. Your hearing might have changed, for instance, or you may need a hearing aid recalibration.
Potential Pitfall: Low Batteries
Hearing aid batteries, while improving in quality, still require recharging and replacing sometimes. That means that it’s essential to keep up with your hearing aids’ batteries. The first thing you should do if your hearing aid begins to falter or cut in and out is check the battery.
The fix: Keep ‘em Fresh
A battery tester is a worthwhile investment, particularly if you like to stock up. Even if you keep batteries sealed until you need to use them, always a smart plan, they have a limited shelf life, and so the last batteries in that huge pack you bought months ago most likely won’t hold a charge as long as the first few did. Another trick: When you open new batteries, wait 5 minutes before installing them. This gives the zinc time to activate, and can potentially help the batteries last longer.
Potential Pitfall: Gross Things Like Wax And Grime
Your hearing aids will accumulate dirt and debris no matter how clean you keep your ears and if you have problems hearing you’re probably more conscientious about earwax. You might find yourself with a dirt problem if sounds seem slightly off or distorted.
The fix: Clean Them Out—And Keep Them Clean!
There are plenty of products on the market specifically for cleaning hearing aids, but you can DIY it with things you already have around the house. Once you’ve disassembled your hearing aids, use a soft, microfiber cloth (like you’d use to clean glasses or smartphone) to wipe down the hardware.
You can help keep your hearing aids from attracting excess grime by employing simple hygiene habits. Whenever you do something that involves liquid or dampness, like washing your face or styling your hair, take your hearing aids out and make sure your hands aren’t wet when handling them.
Potential Pitfall: Trapped Moisture
Moisture can wreak havoc on hearing aids, and it doesn’t take much to do so (you don’t need to be underwater, even sweating can be problematic). The vent in the hearing aid and the battery can even be effected by humidity in the air. Depending on how much moisture’s gotten in, you might experience problems from sound distortion to static, to crackling. They may even seem to stop working.
The fix: Keep Them Dry
Keep the battery door open when you store your hearing aid overnight and any longer than that, remove the battery. Any captured moisture will be able to evaporate and air will be able to circulate with almost no effort on your part.
Store hearing aids in a cool, dry spot. Don’t store them in the bathroom or kitchen. Storing them in the bathroom might seem convenient but there’s just too much moisture. If you live in a humid climate, you may want to think about purchasing a hearing aid storage box. Most versions use a desiccant in the form of a little moisture absorbing packet, but some more costly models get rid of 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.