Have you ever been watching your favorite Netflix movie when your internet suddenly disappears? 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. Is it your internet provider, modem, router, or perhaps it will simply come back on its own? It kind of stinks.
Technology can be enormously frustrating when it doesn’t work properly. The same is definitely true of your hearing aids. Most of the time, your hearing aids will provide you with the means to stay connected to loved ones, have conversations with co-workers, and keep up with your neighbors.
But when they quit working, your hearing loss symptoms can abruptly become much more frustrating. The technology you’re counting on has failed you. How do hearing aids just stop working? So what can you do? Here are the three prevalent ways your hearing aids can fail and how to troubleshoot and identify them.
Hearing aids can often have three common issues
Hearing aids are complex devices. Even still, there are some common problems that people with hearing aids may encounter. Here’s what could be causing those issues (and what you can do to correct them).
Whistling and feedback
So, maybe you’re trying to have a conversation with your family or watch your favorite show and you begin to hear a dreadful whistling sound. Or perhaps you notice a little bit of feedback. You start to think, “this is weird, what’s up with this whistling”?
Whistling and feedback can be caused by these possible problems:
- The tubing that attaches the hearing aid with the earmold, on behind-the-ear models, can sometimes become compromised. Try to inspect this tubing as well as you can and make certain nothing is loose and the tube doesn’t appear damaged.
- Your hearing aids may not be sitting in your ears correctly. Try to remove them and re-seat them. If the fit isn’t right you might need to come in so we can help you get a better fit.
- Earwax accumulation in your ear canal can compromise the way your hearing aid functions. This is a relatively common one. That includes causing your hearing aids to whistle or feedback. If possible, you can try clearing some earwax out of your ear or talk to us about the best way to do that (do not use a cotton swab).
Depending on the underlying cause of the feedback, we can help you deal with these issues if you can’t fix them on your own.
Hearing aids not producing sound
Your hearing aids are supposed to make, well, sound. That’s their main function! So if you find yourself thinking, “I don’t hear any sound coming from my hearing aid,” well, then something is definitely not right. So what could cause hearing aids to lose all sound? Here are several things to watch for:
- Earwax buildup: Here we go again with the earwax! Have a close look to see if you discover any earwax on the microphone or speakers. Keep your device really clean.
- Power: Everybody forgets to turn their hearing aids on once in a while. Make certain that isn’t the problem. This possible issue can then be eliminated..
- Batteries: Make certain your batteries are fully charged. And whether your batteries are rechargeable or not, it might be worth switching them out for new ones.
- Your settings: Scroll through the personalized settings if your device includes them. It’s possible your hearing devices are not on the right custom setting (so perhaps your hearing aids think you’re in a gymnasium instead of at the kitchen table). The sound you’re hearing could be off as a result.
If these steps don’t address your issues, we might have the answers. We’ll be able to help you find out the next steps, and whether maintenance, repair, or replacement is needed.
Your ears hurt when you’re wearing your hearing aids
What if your hearing aids work perfectly, but every time you put them in your ears, your ears begin hurting? And you’re probably wondering why your hearing aids would hurt your ears. You’re not as likely to use your hearing aids every day if they hurt your ears. So, what could be causing it?
- Fit: The most obvious issue can be the fit. Needless to say, when the fit is nice and snug, your hearing aids will work best. So when your hearing aids aren’t fitting very well, there can be some pain. Many hearing aids can be tailored to your specific ears. The better the fit, the fewer issues you’ll have with discomfort over the long haul. If you come see us, we can help you achieve the best fit for your device.
- Time: Getting accustomed to your hearing aids will take some time. Each person will have a different adjustment period. When you first get your new hearing aids, we can help you get a reasonable concept of the adjustment period you can expect. If uncomfortable ears persist, speak with us about that too!
Avoid problems with a little test drive
Before you decide on a pair of hearing aids, it’s a good plan to try them out for a while. Most of the time we will have loaner pairs for you to try out before you make a decision.
Choosing the correct hearing aids, adjusting them to fit your requirements, and helping with any extended problems you may have, are all things we will help with. In other words, when your devices stop working, you’ll have a resource that can help!
And that’s most likely more reliable than your internet company.