Troubleshooting Common Hearing Aid Problems

Hearing aids are incredibly complicated pieces of technology. Like all pieces of technology, they are, of course, susceptible to common faults. Today we are going to look at four of the most common faults with hearing aids and precisely what could be causing the issues.

Interference noise

One of the most common issues with hearing aids is the complaint of noise feedback or distortion. 

Several problems can cause this issue, but the most common cause is earwax. To understand why this is a problem, we first have to look at the basic functionality of the hearing device. 

The sounds emitted from the hearing device travel down the canal of the ear. If, the channel of the ear has a blockage. The sound will, at this point, have nowhere else to travel but back to the hearing device, thus causing a feedback noise.

You should not at any point attempt to remove the earwax yourself, and you should visit your audiologist for advice at your earliest convenience. 

Distortion

Distortion should not be confused with the previously mentioned feedback. A distorted noise coming from your hearing device can yet again be one of a few issues. 

The first step you should take is to check for battery corrosion. Corrosion will appear as a white powder-like substance. Should this occur, you should change the battery immediately. Corrosion may occur when moisture is introduced to the battery. 

This corrosion creates a communication block between the battery itself and the hearing aid. The hearing device itself will not be receiving the full power it needs for it to perform to its optimum level. 

Volume problems

When we look at volume problems, this itself can sometimes be tackled with the simplest of solutions.

Again, with volume issues, we need to look at the possibility of earwax. In this instance, the blockage could be with the inlet or outlet. There are other simple solutions we should look at, such as volume and memory settings.

If you have found that none of the above seems to be posing an issue to your hearing device, you should contact your audiologist and make an appointment. 

You may need to arrange a hearing test to check as to whether or not your hearing has changed. 

Silence

One of the most worrying things that happen to hearing devices is that there could come the point where there is no sound at all. 

Silence is generally a problem of frequent occurrence and usually has a relatively simple solution. As we have found with previous issues, we should always check the inlet and outlet for blockages. Blockages can cause total silence if the build-up becomes too severe.

The next thing that should be checked is the battery. You should require a new battery every one to two weeks. It is also important to remember to air your battery before installation and ensure the hearing aid contacts are free of any moisture or debris.

If you experience any of the issues above, and should you require hearing aid repairs. Visiting your audiologist should be your first port of call.