Your hearing aids should improve your hearing right? When your hearing aid fails at its one job, it can be seriously frustrating. Fortunately, your hearing aids should have no issue doing their job if you take proper care of them.
Before you do anything extreme, look at this list. If it’s not one of these ordinary problems, it may be time to schedule an appointment with us to ensure there isn’t a larger problem. For example, your hearing aids may need recalibration, or your hearing could have changed.
Potential Pitfall: Low Batteries
While hearing aid batteries have gotten considerably smaller and lifespans are improving, the batteries still need to be replaced occasionally or recharged. So staying on top of charging your batteries is important. The first thing you need to do if your hearing aid begins to fail or cut in and out is check the battery.
The fix: Keep ‘em Fresh
Investing in a battery tester, especially if you like to stock up, is a smart idea. Even if you keep batteries sealed until it’s time to use them, always a smart plan, they have a limited shelf life, and so the last batteries in that huge pack you bought months ago probably won’t maintain a charge as long as the first few did. Another trick: When you open new batteries, wait 5 minutes before installing them. This gives the zinc time to activate, and can possibly extend the life of the batteries.
Potential Pitfall: Gross Things Like Wax And Grime
Your hearing aids will collect debris and dirt no matter how clean you keep your ears and if you have trouble hearing you’re probably more conscientious about earwax. If you can hear but sounds seem distorted or a little off, dirt may be the cause.
The fix: Clean ‘em Out—And Keep Them Clean!
There are lots of products on the market specifically for cleaning hearing aids, but you can DIY it with items you already have around the house. You can use a microfiber cloth, like the kind you use to clean your computer screen or cellphone, to wipe your hearing aid down after taking it apart.
You can help keep your hearing aids from attracting excess filth by practicing simple hygiene practices. Clean and dry your hands before you take care of your hearing aids, and take them out while you’re doing anything, such as washing your face, styling your hair, or even shaving, that might put them in danger of being spritzed, sprayed, or splashed.
Potential Pitfall: Trapped Moisture
Even a little bit of moisture can really damage your hearing aid (think sweating, not deep-sea diving). The vent in the hearing aid and the battery can even be effected by humidity in the air. Depending on how much moisture’s entered, you might experience problems from sound distortion to static, to crackling. They might even appear to quit altogether.
The fix: Keep Them Dry
Keep the battery door open when you store your hearing aid overnight and any longer than that, take the battery out. Any trapped moisture will be able to evaporate and air will be able to circulate with almost no effort on your part.
A cool, dry place is the best spot to store your hearing aids. Don’t store them in the bathroom or kitchen. Storing them in the bathroom may seem convenient but there’s just too much moisture. If you live in a humid environment, you might want to consider investing in a hearing aid storage box. More expensive 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 purchase shoes) to absorb moisture.
None of the above are working? It may be time to speak with us.