Try This First When Your Hearing Aids Are Slipping

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HEARING TIPS

Woman’s hearing aids no longer working well and she is straining to hear.

Your hearing aids should help you hear better right? When your hearing aid fails at its one job, it can be really frustrating. Here’s the good news, with regular maintenance, your hearing aids should be up to the job.

Before you do anything drastic, go through this list. If it’s not one of these common problems, it might be time to schedule an appointment with us to make sure there isn’t a bigger problem. For instance, your hearing aids might need recalibration, or your hearing may have changed.

Potential Pitfall: Low Batteries

Hearing aid batteries, while improving in quality, still need to be recharged or replaced occasionally. So staying on top of charging your batteries is important. If it seems like the sound is diminishing or coming and going, check your battery first.

The fix: Keep ‘em Fresh

Purchasing a battery tester, especially if you like to stock up, is a worthwhile idea. Even if you keep batteries sealed until you need to use them, always a good idea, they have a limited shelf life, and so the last batteries in that huge pack you purchased months ago likely won’t last as long as the first few did. Another trick: Wait five minutes after you open new batteries before you put them in your hearing aids. This gives the zinc time to become active, and can possibly extend the life of the batteries.

Potential Pitfall: Grease, Grime, And Other Gross Stuff

Regardless of how clean you keep your ears, and if you have a hard time hearing, you’re a lot more likely than the average individual to pay attention to earwax, your hearing aids will accumulate debris and dirt. If you’re able to hear but sounds seem distorted or a little off, dirt may be the cause.

The fix: Clean ‘em Out—And Keep Them Clean!

There are plenty of products available specifically for cleaning hearing aids, but you can DIY it with items you already have around the house. Once you’ve taken apart your hearing aids, use a soft, microfiber cloth (like you’d use to clean the screen of a computer or smartphone) to wipe down the components.

You can help keep your hearing aids from attracting excess filth by employing simple hygiene practices. Whenever you do something that involves liquid or dampness, like cleaning your face or styling your hair, take your hearing aids out and make certain your hands aren’t wet when handling them.

Potential Pitfall: Trapped Moisture

Even a little bit of moisture can really harm your hearing aid (think working up a sweat, not deep-sea diving). Even humidity in the air can be a problem, blocking up the hearing aid’s air vents or causing batteries to drain faster. Depending on how much moisture’s entered, you could experience problems from sound distortion to static, to crackling. They might even seem to shut down.

The fix: Keep ‘em Dry

Leave the battery door open when you store your hearing aid overnight and any longer than that, remove the battery. Any captured moisture will be able to evaporate and air will be able to circulate with almost no effort on your part.

A cool, dry place is the best spot to keep your hearing aids. Don’t keep them in the kitchen or bathroom. Even though the latter is convenient, the steam from a hot shower is precisely what you don’t want. If you live in a humid climate, you might want to think about getting a hearing aid storage box. Pricier models plug in, but less expensive models use desiccants or gels (yes, like those “throw away do not eat” packets you find in the box when you purchase a pair of shoes) to take in moisture.

None of the above are working out? It may be time to consult us.

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The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.

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