Hearing aids are more powerful than ever, and these small but essential devices contain features suited to your modern needs. However, like all electronics, they might still encounter issues. While some individuals may feel inclined to seek immediate assistance from their audiologist, it’s important to consider alternatives. What happens if you are away on vacation and can’t visit your audiologist? If you need to overcome common hearing aid issues, it’s worth knowing some crucial do-it-yourself (DIY) solutions.
No Audio
Are you experiencing no sound coming through your hearing? Before going to see your audiologist, check a few key things to guarantee the issues can be fixed by you. First, you need to check the device is on and connected to your smartphone. If the device switches on, it could be a battery issue, so you may need to charge or change the batteries in your device. Of course, if these are both fine, it could be that the volume was turned down, which can sometimes happen if you have adjusted the settings on your hearing aid recently.
Poor Sound Quality
Similarly, low sound quality will hinder your hearing experience. There are several reasons why poor sound quality could occur, including corroded batteries and debris stuck in the microphone or controls. Check these before anything else and clean or change the batteries before trying again. The sound should return to normal. However, another issue could be that your hearing has changed. If you believe this could be an issue, contact your audiologist to schedule a test.
Feedback and Crackling
Feedback, cracking and whistles can all impact your hearing aid. Sometimes, these issues show the device requires hearing aid repairs, but you could check for other problems first.
Setting the volume too high can increase crackling and whistling, so try reducing the volume on your hearing aid and test your hearing device again. If the problem persists, inspect the device for any damage. The speakers could be affected, or the casing could be cracked. You can also see if there is any water damage that occurred during the day.
Poor Fit
Most audiologists will recommend molded devices to ensure a better fit. However, while these molds are usually successful, there is always the chance they might not fit perfectly the first time. An ill-fitted hearing aid might slip around in your ears and cause discomfort. If you find this happening with your hearing aids, check that you have placed them correctly. If you are sure, you have done it properly, contact your audiologist to see if the fit is a little off. If your hearing aid is ill fitted, your audiologist will be able to adjust the mold making sure you have a comfortable fit.
If you want to get the most out of your hearing aids, you need to know how to overcome some of the most common problems. While your audiologist will be there to help you, you may not have the time or you are out of town and need to do a quick fix. So, consider these issues and advice to ensure you can keep your hearing aids working smoothly.
