The sad truth of the matter is that everything you buy will eventually need to be repaired. While some things, like a furnace, require a professional to work on it, other items can be fiddled with by amateurs.
Fortunately, if you are one of the 48 million people in Plano, Texas, or around the country with hearing loss, hearing aids fall into both categories. There are many simple repairs and troubleshooting that you can do yourself. For more advanced problems, you will need to contact your Plano audiologist.
Cleaning Your Hearing Aid
Think about it – your hearing aids spend all day in your ear. Not only is your ear damp, but the device comes into contact with earwax and other debris. The hearing aid has a number of tiny holes and spaces that are just waiting to get clogged.
Your hearing aid needs to be cleaned every day; you should use a dry tissue or cloth to do the cleaning. The earmold itself can be removed from the rest of the device and washed with a mild soap solution. Make sure the earmold is completely dry before reattaching to the hearing aid.
To prevent moisture from becoming trapped inside your hearing aid, your Plano audiologist recommends opening the battery compartment and removing the battery every night before bed. This gives your device a chance to dry out. You can also invest in a dryer or dehumidifier to eliminate moisture.
Having Trouble Hearing?
If your hearing aid is not helping you hear better, it is useless to you.
Below is a checklist of things you should try at home if your hearing aid is not working:
Make sure your hearing aid is on. This is often overlooked but you sure will be mad at yourself later if this was the problem and you never even checked.
Turn the volume up. It is easy for the settings or volume controls to get turned down or altered.
Check the batteries. The batteries used in hearing aids do not drain like normal batteries. Instead, they seem to go from full strength to depleted in an instant. You can check the batteries with a battery tester and replace them if necessary.
If you follow these steps and are still having problems, now is the time to contact your Plano audiologist. They will take a closer look at your hearing aid and will often be able to perform the repair in the office.
