If you’ve got hearing aids, you should be able to hear, right? When they aren’t working right, it can be extremely infuriating, it’s a total “You had ONE job” situation. Luckily, your hearing aids should have no problem doing their job if you take proper care of them.
Go over this list before you do anything rash. It might be time to come in and talk with us if you find it isn’t 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 require recharging and replacing sometimes. That means that it’s important to keep up with your hearing aids’ batteries. The first thing you need to do if your hearing aid starts to falter or cut in and out is check the battery.
The fix: Keep ‘em Fresh
A battery tester is a beneficial investment, especially if you like to stock up. Even if you keep batteries sealed until it’s time to use them, always a good idea, they have a limited shelf life, and so the last batteries in that giant pack you bought months ago most likely won’t maintain a charge as long as the first few did. Another trick: Wait five minutes after you unpack new batteries before you install them. This can help extend the battery life by allowing the zinc to activate.
Potential Pitfall: Gross Things Like Wax And Grime
Regardless of how clean you keep your ears, and if you have a hard time hearing, you’re much more likely than the average person to pay attention to earwax, your hearing aids are going to gather debris and dirt. If you’re able to hear but sounds seem distorted or somewhat off, dirt could 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 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.
Simple hygiene practices will go a long way to keeping your hearing aids clean. Clean and dry your hands before you handle your hearing aids, and remove them while you’re doing things, like washing your face, styling your hair, or even shaving, that may put them in jeopardy of being spritzed, sprayed, or splattered.
Potential Pitfall: Trapped Moisture
Even a little bit of moisture can really harm your hearing aid (you won’t need to be underwater, even a sweat can be a problem). The vent in the hearing aid and the battery can even be impacted by humidity in the air. Depending on how much moisture’s entered, you might experience issues from sound distortion to static, to crackling. They may even appear to quit altogether.
The fix: Keep Them Dry
Make sure that when you store your hearing aids, you open the battery door; and if you’re taking them out for longer than overnight, remove the batteries entirely. It takes almost no effort and guarantees that air can move, and any captured moisture can get out.
Store hearing aids in a cool, dry place. Don’t store them in the kitchen or bathroom. Keeping them in the bathroom may seem convenient but there’s just too much moisture. If you live in a humid climate, you might want to consider investing in a hearing aid storage box. More expensive models plug in, but less costly options use desiccants or gels (yes, like those “throw away do not eat” packets you find in the box when you buy shoes) to absorb moisture.
None of the above are working? It may be time to speak with us.