Hearing aid not working? Follow this quick guide…
Troubleshooting an issue with your hearing aids can make all the difference between feeling frustrated or in control of your device. Knowledge is power and if you can get yourself up and running with a quick fix at home, it can save you a trip to the clinic. Our comprehensive guide provides easy-to-follow steps to troubleshoot common hearing aid problems right in your home—no technician or visit to the practice is often needed.
Common Hearing Aid Problems
No Sound
The hearing aid may make no sound sometimes. If your hearing aid is dead, it's not the end of the world. Start by making sure it’s been fully charged. If your light on the aid is green but no sound is coming out, your receiver wire may have moisture in it, or your little white filter could be blocked. This will stop sound reaching your ear.
You will have filters in your started pack. Replace this first. If this doesn’t fix the problme, you may need to get the receiver wire changed at our practice. You don’t need an appointment for this.
Low Volume
If you're experiencing low volume with your hearing aids, you can check a few things at home. First, make sure the volume is turned up to an appropriate level. Sometimes it might accidentally get turned down without you realising it.
Check the above issues pertaining to ‘no sound’ as moisture and wax for example could come and go causing the volume to be fine one day and the next day not. You may have occluded wax in your ears blocking the sound pathway. Pop in to see us or visit your GP or clinic nurse to check this.
Feedback Or Whistling
If you hear a whistling sound or feedback from your hearing aid, a common issue, there are a few things to look out for….
Lowering the volume initially might help, but this is only a temporary solution. You should make sure the hearing aid is in your ear correctly and the dome/mould on the end of the wire/tube is in the ear canal fully. Feedback is also a sign you may have developed some wax in the ear. Sound will bounce against the wax, leak out and get re-amplified causing that ‘squeal’ sound.
Discomfort Or Pain
Sometimes, wearing a hearing aid can cause discomfort. This is often due to the fit of the device in your ear. If your hearing aid feels uncomfortable or causes soreness, it's important to address this issue.
One possible solution is to adjust the position of the hearing aid in your ear to ensure a proper fit. You may need a smaller or larger dome or mould.
Changes In Hearing
Sometimes, you may notice changes in your hearing while using a hearing aid. It's important to pay attention to any new or different sounds you experience. If you notice sudden changes, such as increased difficulty understanding speech in quiet or background background noise, tinnitus or new symptoms such as vertigo, it could indicate a problem with your hearing and you may need a new test.