Have you ever been watching your favorite Netflix show when your internet suddenly disappears? Instead of finding out who won the baking show, you have to watch a never-ending spinning circle. All you can do is wait around for it to come back. Maybe it’s your modem, could be your router, possibly it’s the internet company, or possibly it’ll just fix itself. It kind of stinks.
When technology malfunctions, it can be really aggravating. The same is definitely true of your hearing aids. When they’re functioning properly, hearing aids can help you stay connected with the ones you love and better hear co-workers when they speak to you.
But when they quit working, your hearing loss symptoms can suddenly become a lot more frustrating. The technology you’re counting on has failed you. How do hearing aids just stop working? So how do you deal with that? Well, there are three prevalent ways that hearing aids can fail, here’s how you can start to recognize and troubleshoot those problems.
Hearing aids can often have three common issues
Even though hearing aids are sophisticated technology, people may experience three common issues with them. Let’s have a look at possible causes of these problems and potential fixes.
Feedback and whistling
Maybe you suddenly start to hear a terrible high-pitched whistling while you’re trying to have a chat with a friend or family member. Or perhaps you hear some feedback. And so you think, “Why am I hearing whistling in my hearing aids? This is strange”.
Here are three possible issues that could be causing this whistling and feedback:
- Your hearing aids may not be sitting in your ears properly. Try to remove them and re-seat them. If the fit isn’t correct you may need to come see us so we can help you get a better fit.
- The functionality of your hearing aid can be impacted by earwax buildup in your ear canal. This is a relatively common one. Whistling and feedback are frequently one result of this sort of earwax buildup. If possible, you can attempt to clean some earwax out of your ear or talk to us about the best method to do that (don’t use a cotton swab).
- The tubing that connects the hearing aid with the earmold, on behind-the-ear models, can sometimes become compromised. Try to inspect this tubing as well as you can and make sure nothing is loose and the tube doesn’t appear damaged.
Depending on the root cause of the feedback, we can help you deal with these issues if you can’t figure them out on your own.
No sound coming from your hearing aids
The main goal of hearing aids is to produce sound. That’s their principal function! So if you find yourself thinking, “I don’t hear any sound coming from my hearing aid,” well, then something is definitely wrong. So what could cause hearing aids to lose all sound? Well, there are a few things:
- Earwax buildup: Yup, earwax strikes again. Inspect your device for signs of earwax on the microphone or speakers or any sensitive parts. You want to make sure the device is good and clean.
- Your settings: Scroll through the personalized settings if your device includes them. Your hearing aids may think you’re in a huge space when you’re actually in a little room because the setting isn’t right. The sound you’re hearing may be off as a consequence.
- Batteries: Make sure your batteries are fully charged. And whether your batteries are rechargeable or not, it may be worth swapping them out for fresh ones.
- Power: Everyone forgets to turn their hearing aids on once in a while. Check for this first. Then you can eliminate that as potential issues.
If these steps don’t help with your issues, we may have the solution. Whether repair, maintenance, or replacement is your next step, we will be capable of helping you figure that out.
When you have your hearing aids in, you feel pain in your ears
Perhaps your hearing aids are fine functionally but they hurt when they’re in your ears. And you’re most likely wondering why your hearing aids would hurt your ears. You’re not as likely to use your hearing aids on a daily basis if they make your ears hurt. So, what could be causing it?
- Time: Getting used to your hearing aids will take a little while. How long it takes will depend on the person. When you first get your hearing aids, we can help you get a realistic concept of the adjustment period you can anticipate. Also, talk to us about any discomfort you might be experiencing.
- Fit: The most evident issue can be the fit. After all, the majority of hearing aids work best when the fit is nice and snug. So when your hearing aids aren’t fitting quite right, there can be some pain. Many hearing aids can be customized to your particular ears. Over the long run, you will have fewer issues if you have a good fit. If you come in for a consultation, we can help you achieve the best fit for your device.
Take your new hearing aid out for a test ride
One of the best ways to prevent possible issues with hearing aids is to take them out for a bit of a test run before you commit. In the majority of cases we’ll let you test out a pair of devices before you determine that’s the set for you.
In fact, we can help you determine the best type of hearing aid for your needs, adjust the fit to match your ears, and help you take care of any ongoing issues you might have with your devices. In other words, when your devices stop working, you’ll have a resource that can help!
And that’s a lot more than you will get with an over-the-counter hearing aid!