Troubleshooting Your Hearing Aids

Hearing aids can be game changers for individuals experiencing hearing loss. Suddenly, those who have functioned off half-hearing their entire lives can hear frequencies and sounds they didn’t even realize they were missing. Even better, accessing this transformative treatment is as simple as booking an appointment with a local audiologist.

That said, magic as they are, hearing aids aren’t a foolproof path to hearing that never lets you down. Smart pieces of kit they may be, but aids are still susceptible to damage and issues. When this happens, patients may panic or assume that there’s little they can do. Others may not even notice a problem and could slip back into the poor hearing days of their past!

Don’t let it happen by reading on to discover the signs that your hearing aids aren’t working the way they should, and a few troubleshooting techniques to turn the situation around. 

Signs your hearing aids are struggling

Often, hearing aid deterioration happens over time, meaning we don’t always notice it. To make sure that’s not a reality you face, keep an eye out for signs of problems including: 

• Deteriorating hearing
• Sudden volume decreases/increases
• No noticeable difference when hearing aids are in
• Continual need to change batteries
• Distorted sounds
• Whistling or feedback

Your troubleshooting 101

Once you’ve spotted these problems, you need to know how to troubleshoot them to get your aids back on track. Luckily, we’ve got a troubleshooting 101 to help you do precisely that. If you’ve noticed any of the above issues, then keep reading to develop your plan of action.

Check your batteries

Too often, we struggle with improper hearing aid because we fail to change the batteries. Like any battery-operated machinery, hearing aids can’t function without enough juice. Depending on your model, you should be changing every three to 10 days. Even then, rusting or improperly placed batteries can cause issues. If you’re struggling to hear, then this should be your first port of call.

Alter your volume

Most of us have a preferred hearing aid volume that we leave as standard once we’ve adjusted. If your hearing aid has a volume wheel or button, however, it’s all too easy to knock this during insertion or removal. As such, you should always take the time to check your volume if your hearing aids are playing up. Putting it back on your preferred settings could just solve the problem.

Clean your hearing aids

Earwax, debris and all manner of other muck can easily make its way into your hearing aids. This dirt can impact performance more than you know and could even cause lasting damage if you don’t address it. As such, cleaning should also be high on your list of priorities. If you’re hearing feedback, it’s a sign that your cleaning isn’t up to scratch. Change that by getting into the habit of cleaning your microphone and sound ports with a dry cloth or specialist equipment every single day.

Check your alignment

Feedback or a lack of sound can both be a sign that your hearing aids aren’t aligned or fitting correctly. It may be that merely removing and replacing your aids works here, or you may need to invest in differently sized domes or tips. It may also be that you simply need to remind yourself of the alignment your audiologist showed you on initial installation.

Consider programming

Sometimes, a pre-set program can accidentally change, or stop working for your needs. If your hearing aid allows it, then you may benefit from changing the program you use. 

Call the professionals

If you’ve done all the above and still not seen any noticeable improvement, then it’s probably time to call the professionals. Like glasses, hearing aids can simply stop suiting your changing hearing needs. Equally, you may require extensive hearing aid repairs you can’t manage alone. Instead, professionals are on-hand to reach a solution that’s guaranteed to get your hearing back on track.

Imagine Hearing Solutions for your troubleshooting needs

Here at Imagine Hearing Solutions, we go above and beyond to help our patients regain hearing health with the use of aids and other methods. Our hearing aid repair service is precisely what you need if you’re experiencing issues that you can’t troubleshoot at home. The moment you contact our team at (530) 392-4533, we’ll offer either long-term or short-term repairs for most major manufacturers. So, stop struggling with aids that aren’t serving your needs anymore. Say hello to healthy hearing again with the help of our experts.