Hearing Aid Troubleshooting
Quality of life is such an important factor in mental health and wellbeing, and whether you are dealing with glasses or hearing aids, you need to consider how much they improve your quality of life. As with every other piece of life equipment, you need to take care of what you have. Hearing aids require
Hearing Aid Troubleshooting
Jun 18, 2019
Quality of life is such an important factor in mental health and wellbeing, and whether you are dealing with glasses or hearing aids, you need to consider how much they improve your quality of life. As with every other piece of life equipment, you need to take care of what you have.
Hearing aids require maintenance, and they need for you to care for them; otherwise, you can encounter issues that lead to breakage. To that end, you need to know how to maintain them and troubleshoot any problems yourself before you bring them to your audiologist. Let’s take a look at some of the most common issues.
Issue 1: The sound has gone
The whole point of hearing aids is to amplify the sound around you so that you can hear correctly. When you put hearing aids in, you expect to be able to listen to the world around you. However, there are some reasons that sound wouldn’t be present, such as:
You’ve accidentally left the manual switch on “off.” All you need to do here is turn it on again!
The volume has been turned down. The next step is to ensure the volume is on the setting that you prefer and it hasn’t slipped.
The battery has gone. If you know the hearing aids are on and turned to the correct volume, think about whether the battery is in the hearing aid and fitted correctly. Change the battery if so, because it could be the case that the battery has run out.
If you’ve done all of the above, check the receiver tube in your hearing aid isn’t blocked and doesn’t need a cleaning.
Issue 2: The sound is funny
Distorted sound can be a problem in hearing aids that are not working correctly.
You can fix this by checking that your hearing aid is set to the right program and volume that’s comfortable for you.
You can also find that a build-up of dirt in the controls can cause the sound to be too quiet and muffled.
Clearing the debris can make a world of difference, but if you’ve tried everything and it’s still distorted, get your hearing re-checked with your audiologist just in case.
Issue 3: Constant feedback
No one wants to put hearing aids in and hear static back at them, so try these steps to clear the whistling.
Remove and reinsert the hearing aid, as it may not have sat right in your ear.
Try a different size hearing aid and speak to your audiologist about the fit of your current one.
You could also try turning down the volume of your hearing aids as these could be causing a static or whistling sound.
Check to ensure that there are no cracks or dents in the tubing that helps you to hear.
If none of these solutions work, get your ears looked at by your audiologist to see whether you have a blockage in the ear itself.
Issue 4: Inconsistency
If you’re using your hearing aids and the sound intermittently drops out, you need to check the following problems:
Check the tubing earpiece and microphone to tell whether there are any blockages.
Adjust the controls and ensure they are still set to your preferences.
Check your hearing aid battery voltage and replace the battery to see if it’s dead.
If you are still experiencing hearing aid issues, schedule an appointment with your audiologist to have your devices evaluated. Troubleshooting these common problems won’t always fix them, so that’s where you need to be able to call your audiologist to have your hearing aids fixed. Your hearing aids should – ideally – be under warranty, and you can then get replacements if necessary.
An audiologist should be able to come up with a solution to fixing your hearing aid woes, and they should also be able to provide you with spares while you wait for your new hearing aids to be made. Hearing aid maintenance is essential if you don’t want to encounter too many issues in the future.
Contact us today
Getting the hearing aid maintenance can put you on the right track for your hearing future. If your hearing aids are dropping out on you, or there are cracks in the tubing that are making it hard to hear, speaking to the experts at Allison Audiology & Hearing Aid Center, P.C. Houston: (713) 827-1767
Dr. Jana Emola-Austin discovered her passion for audiology while pursuing graduate studies at the University of North Texas. As owner of Allison Audiology, she's dedicated to improving patients' lives through better hearing and innovative technology. Outside the office, Jana enjoys time with her family, two dogs, cooking, and coastal getaways along the Texas Gulf Coast.
