Troubleshooting Common Hearing Aid Repairs

Hearing aids are specialist devices that can make a huge difference to the life of the wearer. They’re also a sort of device that struggles under high expectations. Unlike many other medical devices, hearing aids cannot be be softly managed and afforded extra-careful handling. Hearing aids have to be able to cope with the rough and tumble of everyday life, keeping pace with the wearer as they go about their day.

Inevitably, this can lead to problems, and most people who wear hearing aids will experience a malfunction eventually. If your hearing aid is not working as it should, it’s worth running through these basic checks to see if you can troubleshoot the problem for yourself.

Clean ears, clean hearing aids

First and foremost, check the external parts of your hearing aid for cleanliness. It’s all too easy for earwax to build up on your hearing aids, which can cause issues with sound quality if left unchecked. If you do notice earwax on the device, then remove it with a soft cloth and see if this makes a difference to the issues you are experiencing.

Inspect for moisture

Moisture is one of the leading causes of hearing aid faults. If you have reason to suspect your device may have been exposed to water, then this alone could be the cause of the issues you have experienced. If you see any excess moisture, absorb it with a dry lint-free cloth and see if this improves the issue. Furthermore, it’s best to leave your hearing aids to air dry rather than trying to use a hairdryer to dry them— this will likely do more harm than good.

Examine the external components

There may be external damage to your hearing aid that you are unaware of, so it’s worth a thorough inspection to see if there are any obvious signs. A magnifying glass and a bright lamp are ideal for this task. You may find there’s a small foreign object embedded in your hearing aid, or sign of a bent of scratched component. If you do see anything obvious, you can try and fix it yourself, but be extremely cautious about this. Unless the solution is incredibly simple, it’s usually best to leave the issue to a qualified professional.

Turn up the volume

Finally, a troubleshooting tip that may seem obvious, but one that is overlooked surprisingly often! It’s easy to accidentally lower the volume on certain hearing aid devices, so before you head to the audiologist, it’s best to see if increasing the volume can fix your woes. Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the ones that produce the best results!

To conclude

If examining the above elements does not produce the results you were hoping for, then your best bet is to take your hearing aid to an audiologist for further examination. Attempting to perform a more elaborate repair yourself is unlikely to end well, so it’s best to hand over to the specialists and let them take it from here.