If you are having problems with your hearing aids, you’ve come to the right place. Today we’re sharing troubleshooting tips to help you overcome common problems associated with hearing aids.
If you are still unable to resolve your concerns, please feel free to contact us so we can help you figure out why your hearing aid isn’t working properly.
How do you know if a hearing aid is working properly?
Once the battery door on your hearing aid is closed, your device should turn on. You can test to ensure that your hearing aid is working by gently rubbing your finger over its microphone. If your hearing aid is working, you should hear a scratching feedback sound in your ear.
The microphone is located on the hearing aid unit itself – the part of the device that goes behind your ear. You can easily identify the microphone by looking for small vent-like holes or lines.
On some hearing aids, an indicator light will come on to let you know your device is powered on and working. If you notice that this light isn’t lit up, you’ll want to move on to our troubleshooting tips.
The 5 Common Hearing Aid Problems and How to Fix Them
Any time that your hearing aid isn’t working properly, it is likely because of one of five problems. Let’s take a moment to explore these common issues so you can get back to hearing optimally.
Battery Issues
It’s often best to start with the easiest solution and work your way up. As such, begin by checking the battery. To take your hearing aid battery out, locate the battery door and open it. Before you replace the battery, check to make sure that it is inserted properly.
It isn’t uncommon for batteries to be placed in your hearing aid upside-down by mistake. Remove the battery, turn it over, and reinsert it into your hearing aid. Then, close the battery door and see if your hearing powers on.
If that didn’t resolve the problem, proceed to insert a brand new battery into your hearing aid. If your unit still won’t power on, or it’s on but you can’t hear clearly, move on to the next possible issue.
Earwax Buildup
If your hearing aid is powered on but you’re unable to hear sounds as well as you normally can, there may be a blockage that’s causing your hearing to be affected. With your hearing aid out of your ear, check to make sure that it is free of any earwax.
Over time, wax from your ear can get clogged in various parts of your hearing aids and cause poor sound quality. As such, you want to check the receiver, microphone, and tubing for earwax. Remove any that’s present and place your hearing aids back into your ears.
This is also another simple and straightforward problem to troubleshoot and is as easy as cleaning wax from your ear canal. What’s more, you can effectively prevent this from becoming a recurring issue by regularly cleaning your hearing aids.
Your Hearing Has Changed
If your hearing aids are working correctly and there is no sign of buildup anywhere, it’s possible that your hearing loss has gotten worse. As such, you may need to buy new hearing aids. Check with an audiologist or hearing care professional to have your hearing tested.
Alternatively, you may utilize our free hearing loss test online. Once you get the results of your test back, you can explore our device selection to find the best device for your needs.
Regardless of which method you choose to get your hearing checked, it’s important not to ignore this issue. If your hearing has indeed gotten worse, you may find that your current hearing device stops helping your hearing altogether.
This can affect your daily lives. Like your driving ability or cause you to miss important instructions from your doctor. The sooner that you know where you stand with your hearing, the sooner you can address it by upgrading to the proper hearing device.
If you can’t afford to see an audiologist, please feel free to take advantage of our online test. It won’t cost you a thing and can help you better understand your need for new hearing aids. If you have any questions about taking our free test, please contact us so we can walk you through the process.
Poor Fit
You should always make sure that your hearing aids fit comfortably and correctly. Just as your hearing can change over time, so can your ears. Whereas your hearing aids fit perfectly at one time, you may find that they are getting harder to wear and keep in your ears.
Thankfully, you have a few options that may resolve your concerns. First, you can contact an audiologist to schedule a refitting. Second, you purchase new earmolds to replace your current ones. This may allow you to wear your hearing devices correctly again, thereby improving their sound quality.
Lastly, your hearing aids might need to be repaired. Again, an audiology professional can assist you with this.
Tubing Damage
Finally, the tubing on your device or devices might have become damaged, especially if you’ve had your hearing aids for a while now. Tubing is present on behind-the-ear devices and is responsible for delivering sound from the hearing aid to your ear.
Since the tubing is small and delicate, it can easily get damaged if you aren’t careful. If it gets too dry, the tubing can crack. It’s also possible for moisture to collect inside. In both instances, you will experience poor feedback and be unable to hear clearly.
Why is my hearing aid still not working properly?
One of the most common things that people overlook is the volume control. If you can’t hear sounds optimally, you may need to turn up the volume. Additionally, you should double-check the power switch to make sure that your hearing device didn’t accidentally get turned off.
If your devices are equipped with rechargeable batteries, they might just need to be plugged in for a while.
What is the life expectancy of a hearing aid?
On average, hearing aids last anywhere from three to seven years. If you keep your hearing aids clean and provide the proper care, they can last even longer.
How to troubleshoot common hearing aid problems
One of the more common issues people face with hearing aids is high-pitched feedback or whistling. Try to remove the device from your ear and reinsert it. Not being in your ear correctly can cause feedback issues such as whistling.
If you’re new to wearing hearing aids, they can take some getting used to. As such, you may need to give your new hearing aids some time before you’re comfortable wearing them throughout the day. We address some more common hearing aid problems in the resources section of our website. Watch those step-by-step instructional videos for helpful tips and contact us if you have any further questions!
