There’s nothing more frustrating than spending the time and money on a pair of hearing aids, only to not get the results you expected. The good news is that there are some easy troubleshooting steps you can take to improve your hearing aids’ performance.
First things first- if you have only been wearing your hearing aids for less than a week, it is completely normal to not yet get the most optimized experience. It can take some time to adjust the settings to your personal needs, so we encourage you to keep trying until you get the fit you love.
However, if your hearing aids are a few months older or more and you’re still not getting the optimal performance you expected, there are some simple troubleshooting steps you can take to determine the root cause of the issue. If your hearing aid turns on, but you’re still not getting optimal performance, there could be a very quick and easy fix. Let’s start by looking at some common hearing aid headaches!
Hearing aids aren’t producing any sound
If you’ve confirmed that your hearing aids are on but you’re not hearing any sound, the problem could be due to ear wax buildup blocking the sound output. Ear wax is actually beneficial, and is naturally produced by the body to clean, protect, and lubricate the ears. Unfortunately, if you wear hearing aids (especially behind-the-ear) you may find that the sound tubes get occasionally clogged and require some cleaning. We’ve got some simple yet effective ways of cleaning the tubes, which can be found here.
Feedback noises
It’s hard to describe the exact sound, but if you are hearing any feedback (or whistling, as it is commonly described) it could be a fit or volume issue. The first step should be to remove the hearing aid and re-insert it to see if there is any change. If you’re still experiencing feedback after putting the hearing aid back in, try adjusting the volume. Often times you will experience a whistling noise when the volume is turned up too high. Try turning the volume all the way down, then slowly increasing it until you reach the perfect level.
Moisture/water damaged
When selecting a hearing aid, the goal is to find one so comfortable that you might forget it’s even in! However, an unintended consequence might be accidently wearing it into the shower or pool, unknowingly getting beads of moisture into the delicate innerworkings of your device. If that is the case, you may be able to see the moisture in the tubing. Here are some simple steps you can take if your hearing aids get submerged:
- Inspect the battery for moisture and thoroughly dry it using a soft cloth.
- If there appears to be moisture in the tubing, disconnect it from the hearing aid and gently blow condensed air though the tube.
- Rice can work as a dehumidifier and soak up the water in your hearing aid. Place a cup of uncooked rice in a plastic baggie or container with a lid. Put your hearing aid into the rice, seal the baggie/container closed, and leave it overnight.
- Try using a fan or hairdryer on its “cool” setting to dry your hearing aids- but DO NOT use hot air.
If you’re still experiencing issues with your hearing aids, or you have any questions about storage and maintenance, give us a call at 1-800-804-0434. Our expert care team will be happy to work with you to get your equipment back up and running like new!