Your hearing aids should help you hear better right? When your hearing aid fails at its one job, it can be extremely frustrating. Luckily, your hearing aids should have no trouble doing their job if you take proper care of them.
Go through this list before you do anything hasty. It might be time to come in and see us if you find it isn’t one of these common problems. Your hearing might have changed, for instance, or you might need a hearing aid recalibration.
Potential Pitfall: Low Batteries
Hearing aid batteries, while improving in quality, still need to be recharged or replaced sometimes. So staying on top of charging your batteries is important. The first thing you should do if your hearing aid starts 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. Even if you keep batteries sealed until you need to use them, always a good idea, they have a limited shelf life, and so the last batteries in that giant pack you purchased months ago probably won’t last 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 become active, and can potentially extend the life of the batteries.
Potential Pitfall: Gross Things Like Wax And Grime
Your hearing aids will gather debris and dirt regardless of how clean you keep your ears and if you have problems hearing you’re most likely more conscientious about earwax. You may find yourself with a dirt issue if sounds seem a bit off or distorted.
The fix: Clean ‘em Out—And Keep Them Clean!
There are lots of products available specifically for cleaning hearing aids, but you can DIY it with things you already have around the house. Once you’ve taken apart your hearing aids, use a soft, microfiber cloth (like you’d use to clean the screen of a computer or smartphone) to wipe down the components.
Simple hygiene practices will really help with keeping your hearing aids clean. Whenever you do something that involves liquid or dampness, such as washing your face or styling your hair, take your hearing aids out and make certain your hands aren’t wet when handling them.
Potential Pitfall: Trapped Moisture
Moisture can wreak havoc on hearing aids, and it doesn’t take very much to do so (think sweating, not deep-sea diving). The vent in the hearing aid and the battery can even be effected by humidity in the air. Problems ranging from distortion to static or even crackling may happen depending on how much moisture has gotten in. They might even seem to stop working.
The fix: Keep ‘em Dry
Keep the battery door open when you store your hearing aid overnight and any longer than that, remove the battery. Any trapped moisture will be able to evaporate and air will be able to flow with almost no effort on your part.
A cool, dry place is the best spot to store your hearing aids. Don’t keep them in the bathroom or kitchen. Storing them in the bathroom may seem convenient but there’s just too much moisture. If you live in a humid climate, you may want to think about getting a hearing aid storage box. Most versions use a desiccant in the form of a little moisture absorbing packet, but some more expensive models eliminate 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.