What are the Most Common Hearing Aid Repairs?

Are you new to the world of hearing aids? When something goes wrong with your hearing aid, the first place you should call is your audiologist. They are specialists in ensuring you get the most from your hearing aid and that it is programmed and fitted to you perfectly.

When you are first fitted with your hearing aid, you will be given instructions for regular maintenance and keeping it clean. Things happen, though, from time to time, and your hearing aid might need a repair — even with the best of care.

Here are some of the most common repairs that a hearing aid might need:

Moisture Issues

While it is vital you keep your hearing aid dry at all times, your audiologist will also advise this – unless you have a waterproof model – sometimes moisture may cause issues.

Occasionally moisture might leak into the hearing tube – if this happens, often the audiologist will be able to repair this for you. However, if there is an excessive amount of moisture, or the moisture has seeped into the body of the device, this can impact the circuitry.

It might need to go back to the manufacturer for a more extensive repair if this happens.

If your hearing aid isn’t waterproof, then make sure that you don’t wear it while bathing, swimming, or taking a shower. Take care to clean any wax build-up and to present any dirt or moisture entering it.

Earmold Degradation

Over time, the component of the gadget that rests flush against your skin in your ear will wear down. It might lose its form, causing it to no longer fit well in the ear. After a while, this might become bothersome and irritate your skin. For a very simple replacement, an audiologist can design a completely new mold for you based on the casts of your ear (which will be taken if they aren’t already on file).

Your audiologist will be able to take care of this issue. It is important that you pay careful attention to your earmold and use the cleaning and maintenance instructions to help keep it free of dirt, wax and other things.

Tubing

The earmold tubing needs to be replaced at regular intervals. The tube connects the device and the earmold in behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids and carries the sound into the ear canal. Over time the tubing can stretch, crack and lose its shape. Debris and moisture can also cause discoloration and degradation over time too. This replacement is common and regular; your audiologist can talk you through the process or may do this for you.

A Broken Microphone

Microphone difficulties cause the majority, but not every issue with sound or loudness from the hearing aid. Though it’s always important to ensure the battery isn’t dead or broken first, seeing an audiologist is still a smart option. They might be able to do some repairs themselves or get a replacement from the manufacturer if it’s beyond repair.

Wax Build-Up

Since many types of hearing aid fit snugly in the ear for many hours of the day, it is not uncommon for a waxy build-up to occur. One of the first things you will notice is that the sound doesn’t seem to be correct. The wax can build up in the connecting tube and harden over time. Replacing the tube, as mentioned above, is a common and regular thing to do.

In the case of a wax build-up, you can have the tube replaced by your audiologist.

Battery Problems

If you notice that you don’t hear sounds correctly, that the sounds you hear are intermittent, or that there is a static sound when using the hearing aid – this can be an indicator that there are issues with the battery.

It might be that there is debris in the battery compartment or that the batteries are not pressed firmly into their holder. Depending on how long the battery has been in the hearing aid, it might be a simple case of changing the battery.

If the battery has recently been replaced and there are still issues, the hearing aid should be taken to your audiologist at the first opportunity. For some issues with the battery compartment, the hearing aid will need to go to the manufacturer to be resolved.

These are some of the most common repairs that you may experience with your hearing aid, almost all of which can be solved with a simple visit to your audiologist. Your audiologist can also help you with adjustments and programming should anything happen. To discuss your needs, you can call Quality Hearing & Audiology Center at (816) 205-7220.