4 Signs You Need Hearing Aid Repairs

Hearing aids are reliable pieces of equipment that can make a tremendous difference to your quality of life if you currently suffer from hearing loss. But sometimes, assistive hearing devices can develop mechanical or electronic issues, causing them to fail.

So what signs should you look out for that indicate that you might need hearing aid repairs? Let’s take a look.

Your hearing aid doesn’t last as long as it used to

New hearing aids often last several days, if not weeks, when new, depending on usage. But over time, their useful life can diminish and eventually reach the point where they only last a few hour or minutes, even if freshly charged.

If you notice this, it could be a sign that there’s a problem with the battery. Rechargeable batteries can only survive a pre-set number of charges, after which they begin to degrade to the point where they are no longer useful. If you have an old battery, talk to your audiologist about a replacement: they’ll be able to tell you which kind of cell will fit your current equipment.

Your hearing aids no longer fit

When you first got your hearing aids, they probably fit perfectly. But over time, thanks to changes in ear shape and wear and tear on the device itself, they no longer feel as comfortable. It’s not pleasant wearing a device daily that doesn’t fit.

Usually, problems with fit result from a damaged earmold, the piece of the device specifically shaped to fit the unique structure of your outer ear. If you think that shape or your ear may have changed or that you have a damaged ear mold, then pay a visit to your audiologist: they may be able to help with repairs.

Your hearing aids no longer to amplifies sound as well

The purpose of a hearing aid is to boost the sound volume received by your inner ear, so when this doesn’t happen, it can be very frustrating indeed.

In general, there are two common causes of low hearing aid volume: issues to do with the ear canal itself, and electronic issues related to the device.

Many people who wear hearing aids can experience a reduction in volume as a result of earwax building up in the ear canal. Ear wax can become impacted against the eardrum, preventing it from transmitting sound wave information to the inner ear. The good news is that if you have impacted or excess earwax, your audiologist will be able to remove this for you using special tools. If you have an electronic problem, you’ll need to take your device to your audiologist for advice and possible replacement.

You notice a loss in quality

If the sound you receive isn’t as good as before, then you may have a hardware issue on your device. Often, faulty microphones can fail to pick up the nuance in income noises, leading to poor performance. But other issues, including clogged connecting tubes, can cause lead to degraded performance. See your audiologist for hearing aid repairs and advice on how to prevent problems from recurring in the future.