If your hearing aid is not working, check the following items:
- Battery – Put a brand new battery in the hearing aid. Be sure the battery is the right size and is inserted correctly. If you have trouble closing the battery door, the battery is in backwards. Don’t save batteries once they have been used, as they tend to get mixed up with the new ones.
- Battery Door – Be sure the battery door is closed completely (snapped shut) when the hearing aid is being used.
- Wax – Wax is the most common cause of hearing aid breakdown. Look at the canal end of the hearing aid and see if there is wax in the small portholes. You will need to use a bright light (i.e., flashlight) to see into the sound tube. If the tube is clogged with wax, use the little wire tool provided with the hearing aid or a soft toothbrush and briskly brush the wax out of the hearing aid (hold the hearing aid downwards so the wax will flow toward the floor).
- Correct Positioning – Be sure that the hearing aid is positioned in the ear correctly and pushed firmly, but not forcefully, down into the ear canal. Looking in the mirror is sometimes helpful to make sure your hearing aid is not sticking out of your ear.
Sometimes a hearing aid hurts the ear and people try to avoid the problem by pulling the aid out of the ear a little. Don’t do this. If the aid hurts, you should contact your audiologist and set up an appointment immediately.
Be sure the hearing aid is in the correct ear. Most hearing aids have a red marking for the right ear and blue marking for the left ear.
- Tubing – If the hearing aid is a behind-the-ear type, check to be sure the tubing is not twisted, cracked or plugged. Hold it up to the light and look for drops of moisture in the tubing. If the tubing does not look normal, contact your audiologist immediately so the tubing can be replaced.
- Whistling – If the hearing aid whistles, make sure the hearing aid is inserted correctly. Be sure the volume is not turned up too high. Finally, make sure your ears are not clogged with wax.
- Booklets – Read the instruction booklets that came with your hearing aid. They are very helpful in troubleshooting any problems that you may be having with your hearing instruments.
Dr. Izzy and his staff are always available to answer your questions about hearing care. Feel free to visit our website at www.gardenstatehearing.com
