Hearing aids are devices that can help those who have hearing difficulties to hear better. They amplify sounds and make things easier to understand for a person with a certain degree of hearing loss. Hearing aids, like any other electronic device, require regular maintenance. Improper care can lead to decreased sound quality and even device failure.

What is Hearing Aid Maintenance?

Hearing aid maintenance is the process of cleaning and caring for your hearing aids regularly. This maintenance includes cleaning and checking the batteries and making any necessary adjustments.

If you're not familiar with how to care for your hearing aids, your audiologist can show you how to do it yourself or schedule a maintenance appointment. Typically, hearing aid maintenance involves six separate components:

• Cleaning
• Adjusting volume
• Checking for wax or debris in the sound tube,
• Checking batteries and replacing if necessary
• Making wire connections at the earmold
• Testing hearing aids

What Are the Signs It's Time to Consider Hearing Aid Maintenance?

Your hearing aids may require some maintenance if you experience any of the following signs:

• Your Hearing Aids Are Making Unusual Noises. If you're hearing strange noises coming from your hearing aids, it could mean that something is loose or broken inside. This problem needs to be checked and fixed by a professional.
• Your Hearing Aids Are Not Fitting as Well as They Used To. If your hearing aids are feeling loose or uncomfortable, it may be because the seal has been compromised and needs to be fixed.
• You're Having Difficulty Understanding Speech. If you're finding it harder to understand people when you're out and about, see if you can re-position your hearing aids. If this doesn't help, they may need a check-up.
• You're Having Difficulties Hearing in Noisy Situations. Are you finding it harder to hear the TV, have conversations with friends, or follow a speaker at a meeting? If so, you could have a loose wire or broken part that needs attention from a qualified hearing aid audiologist.
• Muffled Sound. If the sound coming out of your hearing aids is muffled or distorted, it means there's something wrong with the way they're working. This problem can only be solved by taking the device to a professional for repair or cleaning.

The Bottom Line

If you take care of your hearing aids, they should last for many years. However, if you notice any problems with the sound quality or if the devices seem to be failing, be sure to consult your audiologist. They may need to be serviced or replaced.

For more information on hearing aid maintenance, contact a professional near you.