Your hearing aids should help you hear better right? When they aren’t working right, it can be thoroughly frustrating, it’s a total “You had ONE job” scenario. Here’s the good news, with regular upkeep, your hearing aids should be up to the job.
Consider this list before you do anything rash. If it’s not one of these ordinary issues, it may be time to schedule an appointment with us to make sure there isn’t a larger issue. For example, your hearing aids might need recalibration, or your hearing could have changed.
Potential Pitfall: Low Batteries
Hearing aid batteries, while improving in quality, still need to be recharged or replaced occasionally. That means that it’s essential to keep up with your hearing aids’ batteries. If it seems like the sound is fading or cutting in and out, check your battery first.
The fix: Keep ‘em Fresh
A battery tester is a beneficial 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 likely won’t last as long as the first few did. Another trick: Wait five minutes after you open new batteries before you put them in your hearing aids. This can help the batteries last longer by allowing the zinc to become active.
Potential Pitfall: Gross Things Like Wax And Grime
Regardless of how clean you keep your ears, and if you have a tough time hearing, you’re a lot more likely than the average person to pay attention to earwax, your hearing aids will accumulate dirt and debris. If you can hear but sounds seem distorted or a little off, dirt may be the cause.
The fix: Clean Them Out—And Keep Them Clean!
You can purchase a kit for cleaning your hearing aids 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 disassembling it.
You can help keep your hearing aids from accumulating excess grime by employing simple hygiene habits. Wash and dry your hands before you handle your hearing aids, and remove them while you’re doing anything, like washing your face, styling your hair, or even shaving, that may put them at risk of being spritzed, sprayed, or splattered.
Potential Pitfall: Trapped Moisture
Moisture can be a real problem for hearing aids, and it doesn’t take very much to do so (think working up a sweat, not deep-sea diving). Even humidity in the air can be an issue, clogging up the hearing aid’s air vents or causing batteries to drain 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 ‘em Dry
Be certain that when you store your hearing aids, the battery door is open; and if you’re storing them for longer than overnight, remove the batteries entirely. It takes almost zero effort and ensures that air can move, and any captured moisture can escape.
Store hearing aids in a cool, dry place. Don’t store them in the bathroom or kitchen. Although the latter is convenient, the steam from a hot shower is specifically what you don’t want. If you live in a humid climate, you might want to think about getting a hearing aid storage box. Pricier versions plug in, but less costly options use desiccants or gels (yes, like those “throw away do not eat” packets you find in the box when you buy a pair of shoes) to absorb moisture.
If you’ve tried all of these and none of them are helping then it might be time for you to give us a call.