Your hearing aids should help you hear better right? When your hearing aid fails at its one job, it can be seriously frustrating. The good news is, with regular maintenance, your hearing aids should continue to function efficiently.
Before you do anything extreme, consider this list. It might be time to come in and talk with us if you find it’s not one of these common issues. 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 essential to maintain your hearing aids’ batteries. If it seems as if the sound is fading or coming and going, check your battery first.
The fix: Keep ‘em Fresh
Investing in a battery tester, particularly if you like to stock up, is a smart idea. Batteries have a shelf life so the last batteries in the pack may not have as much voltage as the first few even if you keep them sealed. Another trick: When you unpack new batteries, wait 5 minutes before putting them in. This gives the zinc time to become active, and can potentially extend the life of the batteries.
Potential Pitfall: Gross Things Like Wax And Grime
No matter how clean you keep your ears, and if you have difficulty hearing, you’re much more likely than the average person to pay attention to earwax, your hearing aids are going to collect dirt and debris. If you’re able to hear but sounds seem distorted or somewhat off, dirt could be the cause.
The fix: Clean Them Out—And Keep Them Clean!
There are lots of products available specifically for cleaning hearing aids, but you can DIY it with things you already have around the house. You can use a microfiber cloth, like the kind you use to clean your cellphone or glasses, to wipe your hearing aid down after taking it apart.
You can help stop your hearing aids from accumulating excess grime by employing basic hygiene practices. Whenever you do something that involves liquid or moisture, like cleaning your face or styling your hair, take your hearing aids out and make certain your hands are dry when handling them.
Potential Pitfall: Trapped Moisture
Even a small amount of moisture can really damage your hearing aid (think sweating, not deep-sea diving). Even humidity in the air can be an issue, clogging up the hearing aid’s air vents or causing batteries to drain more quickly. Depending on how much moisture’s gotten in, you might experience issues from sound distortion to static, to crackling. They may even seem to stop working.
The fix: Keep ‘em Dry
Leave the battery door open when you store your hearing aid overnight and any longer than that, remove the battery. Any captured moisture will be able to evaporate and air will be able to flow with almost no effort on your part.
A cool, dry place is the best spot to store your hearing aids. Don’t keep them in the kitchen or bathroom. Keeping them in the bathroom might seem convenient but there’s just too much moisture. If you live in a humid climate, you might want to consider getting a hearing aid storage box. Pricier models plug in, but less costly models 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 take in moisture.
None of these are working? It might be time to talk to us.
