Hearing aid technology has come a long way
If you wear hearing aids yourself or know someone who does, you’re probably aware that those small devices are packed full of technology. Hearing aids are made up of a lot of different components that all work together to help you hear your best.
But, with all that technology comes a lot of potential for issues, and technical difficulties are all too familiar for hearing aid wearers.
Luckily, a lot of the technical issues we see when folks bring their devices to us are not unusual, and there’s usually a quick fix that those folks could have done themselves to get their devices back to normal faster.
Read on to learn about a few of the more common hearing aid problems and some places to start when troubleshooting at home.
My hearing aid isn’t producing any sound
If your hearing aid is designed to help you hear better, and it’s not amplifying or producing any sound at all, that’s clearly a large issue! Luckily, there are a few things that could cause this problem and a few places you can check to try and solve it yourself.
Start by checking the obvious things:
- Is the device turned on?
- Is your battery dead?
- Is the volume turned up?
If none of these fix the issue, then you can start looking for deeper causes. For example, did you recently get your devices wet, possibly causing them to break? Has it been a while since you cleaned the device of earwax and debris that may be causing blockages? Sometimes, a good cleaning is all it takes to get your hearing aids working again, so we always recommend starting there.
My hearing aid sounds distorted or quiet
If you’re still able to hear some sound through your device, but it seems quieter than normal or distorted in some way, there are a few different things you can check before having to bring your hearing aids to a professional.
For hearing aids that aren’t loud enough, make sure all components of the device are clean of earwax and debris and try putting in a fresh battery before turning to more complicated troubleshooting. Also maybe consider that your hearing has changed, and it’s time to see your hearing care provider for a hearing test and to adjust your devices!
For hearing aids that sound distorted, the batteries are the first place to check! Try taking the batteries out of the device and looking for any damage. If you notice any corrosion or debris in the battery compartment, be sure to clean it out and place a fresh battery inside. And, while rare, it’s possible to get a defective battery pack, so you can always try a new battery from a fresh pack as a last line of defense before calling the pros.
My hearing aid battery is dying too quickly
If your battery is dying quickly, then it’s probably time to employ some tactics to prolong battery life and make sure you’re following best practices for storing and caring for your batteries! We have a whole blog on this topic if you’re having this problem, but the quick hits to remember are:
- Make sure to open the battery compartment overnight to let your device dry out from humidity or condensation built up during the day.
- Give your batteries a few minutes of exposure to the air before installing them to help them build energy.
- Don’t buy batteries in bulk, as they can lose their “juice” over time if not installed to use quickly after purchase.
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While hearing aids are such an integral part of your day-to-day life that you may not even notice you’re wearing them most of the time, any issue with your devices can have significant consequences, so it’s important to know the common issues and how to troubleshoot them.
If your device is acting funky and the above tips didn’t help, be sure to reach out to your local Beltone Tristate practice to get your hearing aids back in tip-top shape. And if batteries are your issue, you can always restock on the high-quality batteries we have on our online store!