If you have hearing aids, you should be capable of hearing, right? When they aren’t working correctly, it can be downright infuriating, it’s a total “You had ONE job” scenario. Here’s the good news, with regular maintenance, your hearing aids should be up to the job.
Before you do anything drastic, go through this list. It may be time to come in and see us if you find it isn’t one of these common issues. Your hearing may have changed, for instance, or you may need a hearing aid recalibration.
Potential Pitfall: Low Batteries
While hearing aid batteries have gotten dramatically smaller and lifespans are improving, the batteries still need to be replaced occasionally or recharged. That means that it’s important to maintain your hearing aids’ batteries. 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
A battery tester is a practical investment, especially if you like to stock up. Batteries have a shelf life so the last batteries in the pack might not have as much voltage as the first few even if they stay sealed. Another trick: When you open new batteries, wait 5 minutes before putting them in. This gives the zinc time to activate, and can possibly extend the life of the batteries.
Potential Pitfall: Grease, Grime, And Other Gross Stuff
No matter how clean you keep your ears, and if you have a hard time hearing, you’re much more likely than the average individual to stay on top of earwax, your hearing aids will collect dirt and debris. You might find yourself with a dirt issue if sounds seem slightly off or distorted.
The fix: Clean Them Out—And Keep Them Clean!
You can purchase a kit for keeping your hearing aids clean or you can use things you already have around the house to clean them. 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 go a long way to keeping your hearing aids clean. Whenever you do something that involves liquid or moisture, such as cleaning 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
Even a small amount of moisture can really damage your hearing aid (you won’t need to be submerged, even sweating can be a problem). 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 could experience problems from sound distortion to static, to crackling. They might even seem to shut down.
The fix: Keep Them Dry
Leave the battery door open when you store your hearing aid overnight and any longer than that, take the battery out. Any trapped moisture will be able to evaporate and air will be able to flow with almost no effort on your part.
Store hearing aids in a cool, dry place. The bedroom is a practical spot, skip the bathroom or kitchen. Keeping them in the bathroom may seem convenient but there’s just too much moisture. You will most likely want to get a hearing aid storage box if you live in a very humid environment. Most models use a desiccant in the form of a small moisture absorbing packet, but some more expensive versions get rid of moisture with electronics.
If you’ve tried all of these and none of them are helping then it may be time for a consultation with us.