Have you ever been watching your favorite Netflix movie when your internet abruptly cuts out? Instead of finding out who won the baking show, you have to watch an endless spinning circle. All you can do is wait around for it to come back. Perhaps it’s your modem, might be your router, possibly it’s the internet provider, or maybe it’ll just fix itself. It kind of stinks.
When technology breaks down, it can be really aggravating. Your hearing aids certainly fall into this category. When they’re functioning correctly, hearing aids can help you stay connected with the ones you love and better hear co-workers when they speak to you.
But your symptoms of hearing loss can suddenly become very frustrating when your hearing aids stop working. You’ve been disappointed by the technology you count on. How do hearing aids just quit working? So what should you do? Here are the three common ways your hearing aids can malfunction and how to troubleshoot and identify them.
Hearing aids can often have three common issues
Even though hearing aids are sophisticated technology, people might encounter three common problems with them. Let’s have a look at possible causes of these issues and potential fixes.
Whistling and feedback
So, maybe you’re trying to have a chat with your family or watch your favorite television show and you begin to hear a horrific whistling sound. Or maybe you notice a little bit of feedback. You start to think, “this is weird, what’s up with this whistling”?
Here are three potential problems that could be causing this whistling and feedback:
- For those who use behind-the-ear hearing aids, the tubing that connects your earmold with your hearing aid might have become compromised. Try to inspect this tubing as closely as possible and make certain nothing is loose and the tube doesn’t appear damaged.
- You may not have your hearing aids seated properly in your ears. Try removing them and putting them back in. You can also try reducing the volume (if this works, you might find some temporary relief, but it also likely means that the fit is indeed not quite right and you should speak with us about it).
- The functionality of your hearing aid can be affected by earwax accumulation in your ear canal. This is a fairly common one. Whistling and feedback are often one outcome of this kind of earwax accumulation. If possible, you can try clearing some earwax out of your ear or talk to us about the best method to do that (don’t use a cotton swab).
Depending on the underlying cause of the feedback, we can help you deal with these problems 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 generate sound. That’s their principal function! Something has certainly gone wrong if you can’t hear any sound coming out of your hearing aid. So what could cause hearing aids to drop all sound? Well, there are a few things:
- Batteries: If you have rechargeable batteries, make certain that they’re completely charged. And whether your batteries are rechargeable or not, it might be worth swapping them out for fresh ones.
- Your settings: If you have them, cycle through your custom settings. Your hearing aids might think you’re in a very large room when you’re actually in a little room because the setting is wrong. This balance could throw off the sound you’re hearing.
- Power: Everyone forgets to turn their hearing aids on once in a while. Make certain that isn’t the issue. Then you can cross that of the list of potential issues.
- Earwax buildup: Here we go again with the earwax! Examine your device for indications of earwax on the microphone or speakers or any sensitive bits. Keep your device very clean.
We’re here for you if these measures don’t clear your issues up. We’ll be able to help you identify the next steps, and whether maintenance, repair, or replacement is needed.
When you have your hearing aids in, you feel pain in your ears
Perhaps your hearing aids are fine functionally but they hurt when you put them in. And you’re likely thinking: why do my ears hurt when I use my hearing aids? You’re not as likely to wear 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 will depend on the individual. When you first get your new hearing aids, we can help you get a realistic idea of the adjustment period you can expect. If uncomfortable ears continue, talk to us about that as well!
- Fit: The fit of the device is the most evident issue. After all, most hearing aids work best when they fit tightly. So when your hearing aids aren’t fitting quite right, there can be some pain. Many hearing aids can be tailored to your particular ears. Over the long haul, you will have fewer problems if you have a tight fit. We will be able to help you get the best possible fit from your devices.
Take your new hearing aid out for a test ride
One of the best ways to avoid possible issues with hearing aids is to take them for a bit of a test drive before you commit. In most instances we’ll let you test out a set of devices before you decide that’s the set for you.
As a matter of fact, we can help you determine the best type of hearing aid for your requirements, adjust the fit to match your ears, and help you take care of any extended issues you may have with your devices. In other words, when your devices quit working, you’ll have a resource that can help!
And that’s most likely more reliable than your internet company.