While your hearing aids are hardy pieces of technology designed to be durable and withstand heavy daily use, they’re not indestructible. At some point, it’ll be necessary to bring them in for a tune-up or minor repairs. Here are some signs to watch out for that could indicate that it’s time to bring them in for a checkup.
Reduced Sound Quality
If the sound quality has decreased, that’s something that should be addressed. You may notice that sounds seem muffled or pitches are getting distorted, leading to unclear hearing. There are many potential causes of reduced sound quality, including:
- Earwax buildup inside the device
- Weakened or damaged battery
- Worn-out electrical components (e.g., internal wiring)
- Overworked or worn-out digital processor
You should be cleaning your hearing aids regularly, but there are delicate nooks and crannies that are impossible to reach with a washcloth or hearing aid brush; these require a professional cleaning. The rest of the causes listed above will also require a trip to the audiologist’s clinic to get checked out.
Turning the Volume Up
When the speaker begins to deteriorate, you’ll probably notice that everything appears quieter. If you’ve been constantly needing to up the volume on your hearing aids, bring them in to get the speaker checked out.
Alternatively, the quieter volumes might indicate that your hearing loss has progressed since your hearing aids were last programmed. This is a natural part of hearing loss, and it will require an updated hearing test and adjustments to your device settings to meet your evolving needs.
Battery Issues
This can include the battery dying suddenly, noticeably shortened battery life or noticeable damage to or corrosion in the battery compartment. Your hearing aids need batteries for power, so don’t neglect battery health if you’re noticing issues there.
Feedback
Feedback is one of the most common reasons why some people don’t wear their hearing aids, even though they need them. We know that feedback is annoying, but instead of putting your critical devices in a drawer, bring them in to be looked at. The issue could be that they’re not fitting correctly in the ear canal, or there could be a problem with the digital sound processor, which should be automatically filtering out any feedback.
If you’ve been noticing any of these issues with your hearing aids, or if it’s been over a year since you last had them checked out, we recommend bringing them straight to us at Torrance Audiology for a tune-up. We can give your hearing aids a professional, thorough cleaning, diagnose and issues and perform repairs. Some more substantial repairs may require sending the hearing aids back to the manufacturer, but it’s in the service of making sure you’re hearing your best.
To make an appointment for a hearing aid tune-up, contact Torrance Audiology today.
