If your hearing aids are not working correctly or fitting properly, it can impede your ability to hear and communicate, not to mention it can be frustrating. You may be able to solve the problem yourself at home. Here are some common hearing aid issues, how to solve them at home and advice on when to bring them in for a service appointment.

If the sound quality suddenly deteriorates, it could indicate an issue with the internal circuitry, changed settings or earwax buildup. Try fixing it by:

• Cleaning your devices. You should be doing this daily (or at least almost daily), as earwax buildup is one of the leading causes of hearing aid malfunction. Brush earwax from the body of the hearing aid, use an earwax tool to clean out the microphone and speaker (gently; these spots are delicate) and change the wax guard, if necessary.
• Check the program. You may have accidentally switched to a specialized program, such as the T-coil program, which works well in a specific scenario but not for everyday listening.
• Adjust the settings. Check what frequencies are being amplified and the background noise suppression.

If you’ve done all of the above, it may be time to bring them in for a service appointment. It could be that the internal circuitry needs some maintenance, which we can do in-office or, for more significant repairs, send to the manufacturer for repair.

As mentioned, earwax is a major cause of hearing aid malfunctions, so you may need a service appointment to remove earwax from the nooks and crannies that your wax tool can’t reach. If the issue is earwax compaction within your ear, consider getting your ears professionally cleaned.

If you’ve adjusted the settings and it doesn’t fix the problem, come see us; it could be that your hearing loss has progressed, and we need an updated audiogram to ensure the hearing aid programming matches your hearing needs.

Feedback is an incredibly annoying whistling or rustling sound that can occur when sound waves that have already been amplified into the ear are reamplified by the speaker. This is usually caused by an improperly inserted hearing aid, earwax buildup or excessive volume.

• Remove and reinsert your hearing aids. It could be that they didn’t seal properly when you first put them in, leading to sound leakage.
• Clean your devices. Earwax can affect the fit and seal of your devices. Make sure the body of your hearing aids are clean of earwax.
• Turn the volume down.

It could be that your hearing aids need some adjustments to prevent feedback from occurring. If your hearing loss has progressed to a point where you need the volume up that high, we may need to adjust your settings. Or, if your hearing aids aren’t sealing properly, your ear canal may have changed shape slightly, leading to a change in fit. We can get you new custom earmolds or domes, if necessary.

If your battery isn’t lasting as long as it should or your devices keep powering down spontaneously, there’s probably an issue with the battery.

• Dry your hearing aids. You probably already know that moisture is public enemy number one for hearing aids; the battery is especially prone to damage if it comes into contact with moisture. Dry your hearing aids with a dehumidifier or dryer to remove moisture.
• Check for battery drains. Leaving settings on when you’re not using them, such as Bluetooth®, accessories, listening programs or T-coil, can drain the battery fast.
• Check your batteries’ expiration date. If you use rechargeable batteries, double-check that your pack hasn’t expired.  

If you notice rust or corrosion on the battery or within the battery compartment, bring your hearing aids to us right away. Rust and corrosion can spread and cause other issues.

At SH Audiology, we want to ensure your devices are working for you to bring you the listening experience you need, and we also want to protect your investment. If you’ve noticed any issues with your hearing aids and can’t seem to fix the problem yourself, come see us. Call today to make an appointment.