Your hearing aids should help you hear better right? When your hearing aid stops doing its job, it can be really frustrating. The good news is, with regular upkeep, your hearing aids should be up to the job.
Consider this list before you do anything hasty. If it’s not one of these ordinary problems, it may be time to pay us a visit to ensure there isn’t a more substantial issue. For instance, your hearing aids might need recalibration, or your hearing may have changed.
Potential Pitfall: Low Batteries
While hearing aid batteries have gotten significantly smaller and lifespans are getting better, the batteries still have to be occasionally replaced or recharged. So keeping up with charging your batteries is important. If it seems as if the sound is fading or coming and going, check your battery first.
The fix: Keep ‘em Fresh
Investing in a battery tester, particularly if you like to stock up, is a worthwhile idea. Even if you keep batteries sealed until it’s time to use them, always a smart idea, they have a limited shelf life, and so the last batteries in that huge pack you bought months ago probably won’t hold a charge as long as the first few did. Another trick: Wait five minutes after you unpack new batteries before you install them. This can help the batteries last longer by allowing the zinc to become active.
Potential Pitfall: Gross Things Like Wax And Grime
Your hearing aids will gather dirt and debris no matter how clean you keep your ears and if you have difficulty hearing you’re most likely more conscientious about earwax. You might find yourself with a dirt problem if sounds seem a bit off or distorted.
The fix: Clean Them 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. 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 really help with keeping your hearing aids clean. Wash and dry your hands before you handle your hearing aids, and take them out while you’re doing anything, like washing up, styling your hair, or even shaving, that might put them at risk of being spritzed, sprayed, or splattered.
Potential Pitfall: Trapped Moisture
Moisture can wreak havoc on hearing aids, and it doesn’t take much to do so (think sweating, not snorkeling). Even humidity in the air can be a problem, blocking up the hearing aid’s air vents or draining more quickly. Problems ranging from distortion to static or even crackling might happen depending on how much moisture has gotten in. They might even appear to quit altogether.
The fix: Keep Them Dry
Keep the battery door open when you store your hearing aid overnight and any longer than that, take the battery out. It takes almost no effort and guarantees that air can move, and any trapped moisture can escape.
Store hearing aids in a cool, dry place. Don’t keep them in the bathroom or kitchen. Keeping them in the bathroom might 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 an overly humid climate. More expensive models plug in, but less expensive options use desiccants or gels (yes, like those “throw away do not eat” packets you find in the box when you buy shoes) to absorb moisture.
If you’ve tried all of these and none of them are helping then it may be time for a consultation with us.