If you have hearing aids, you should be capable of hearing, right? When your hearing aid stops doing its job, it can be seriously frustrating. Fortunately, your hearing aids should have no problem doing their job if you take proper care of them.
Go over 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 problem. For instance, your hearing aids may need recalibration, or your hearing may have changed.
Potential Pitfall: Low Batteries
Hearing aid batteries, while improving in quality, still need to be recharged or replaced sometimes. 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 beneficial investment, particularly 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: 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 activate.
Potential Pitfall: Grease, Grime, And Other Gross Stuff
No matter how clean you keep your ears, and if you have a tough time hearing, you’re a lot more likely than the average individual to stay on top of earwax, your hearing aids will collect debris and dirt. If you’re able to hear but sounds seem distorted or slightly off, dirt could be the cause.
The fix: Clean Them Out—And Keep Them Clean!
You can get a kit for cleaning your hearing aids or you can use items you already have around the house to clean them. You can use a microfiber cloth, like the kind you use to clean your computer screen or cellphone, to wipe your hearing aid down after disassembling it.
Simple hygiene practices will really help with keeping your hearing aids clean. Wash and dry your hands before you take care of your hearing aids, and take them out while you’re doing anything, such as washing your face, styling your hair, or even shaving, that may put them in jeopardy of being spritzed, sprayed, or splashed.
Potential Pitfall: Trapped Moisture
Even a small amount of moisture can really damage your hearing aid (think working up a sweat, not snorkeling). The vent in the hearing aid and the battery can even be impacted by humidity in the air. Depending on how much moisture’s gotten in, you could experience issues from sound distortion to static, to crackling. They may even seem 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. Any captured moisture will be able to evaporate and air will be able to flow with very little effort on your part.
Store hearing aids in a cool, dry place. The bedroom is a practical spot, skip the kitchen or bathroom. Keeping them in the bathroom may seem convenient but moisture is just too much. You will likely want to get a hearing aid storage box if you live in a very humid climate. Pricier 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 a pair of shoes) to absorb moisture.
If you’ve tried all of these and none of them are helping then it may be time for you to give us a call.