Your hearing aids are not working, and you are frustrated enough to leave them in the drawers.

Believe or not, there are way too many hearing aids out there currently sitting in the drawer, not being used. One of the main reasons is because the users think that their hearing aids are not working well, and think that nothing can be done. It really defeats the purpose of getting hearing aids. Hearing aids are supposed to help people enjoy hearing again, improve communication and get involved in conversation. If you are frustrated with your hearing aids, don’t give up.

Here are some of the most common causes if your think your hearing aids are not working properly, and how the issues can be fixed.

1. Flat batteries

This might seem very obvious, but flat batteries is a very common cause for hearing aids not being worn. Generally hearing aids would give out some kind of warning sound, to signal that the batteries is running flat. It is absolutely understandable that sometimes we are too distracted or our surrounding is too noisy to hear the warning sound. When the batteries are flat, the hearing aids stop processing any sound, and inadvertently turn into a pair of earplugs. Whenever you think your hearing aids are not working, try replacing the batteries first.

2. Wax blockage in hearing aids

Ear wax blockage is another common causes for malfunctioning hearing aids. Most of the time, when customers brought their hearing aids in to be repaired, a simple wax cleaning makes the hearing aids work as new again. Most hearing aids have wax filters (or wax guards) to keep ear wax out of the electronics. Different brands of hearing aids also have their own wax filters. Make sure you have the correct ones in stock in case wax blockage happens again. Feel free to contact us for more wax filters, or visit us and we’ll change them for you.

3. Your ears are blocked by wax

Your hearing aids are not the only thing susceptible to ear wax blockage. If you have unusual amount of ear wax and you feel that your hearing aids are not as loud as before, it could be caused by wax blockage in your ears. To clean you ears properly, remember NOT to use cotton tips because it could make the wax more compacted. You can choose to get it syringed by your GP or visit us for our ear wax removal service. It also advisable to drip some ear drops or olive oil to soften up the wax for easier removal.

4. Your hearing aids need further adjustments

Everyone has different hearing loss, lifestyle, needs, habits and environment. Hearing aids are a tool to help you hear your best, but it will not solve all your hearing issues. If you are a first time wearer, or you are getting new pair of hearing aids, it is important that you go through the rehabilitation process. It allows you to get used to the new hearing aids and the processed sound. Your comments and feedback would be very helpful in getting the most optimal results. If you feel that your hearing aids are not too satisfactory, don’t think that is the end of it. Speak to us and we will make sure they are adjusted accordingly.

5. You are using the wrong program

Most modern hearing aids allow you to have multiple programs on your hearing aids for different situations. Some programs make the background noise to be more suppressed, some programs make the phone conversation sound louder, some programs improve directionality. All these affects the experience of your hearing. If you accidentally used the wrong program for the wrong situation, you might think that your hearing aids are not working. Once again, everybody is unique. Different people have different type of programs for different environment. Please talk to us so that we can find out if this is the reason you are not hearing your very best.

6. Your hearing aids need to be repaired

Hearing aids are made of very tiny and delicate electronics, so it makes sense that they sometimes break down too. When that happens, the best thing to do is to bring them into the hearing clinic, and we will assess what is wrong with them and proceed accordingly. Sometimes, the repair could be done straightaway without much waiting time. Other times, the hearing aids might need be sent away to be fixed.

7. Physical discomfort

Sometimes, hearing aids users stop using hearing aids because of physical discomfort caused by the hearing aids. The hearing aids could be giving out the most satisfactory sound, but if they cause pain when you wear them, it really defeats the purpose of the hearing aids. If you are putting off wearing hearing aids because of physical pain, know that it is something that can be solved, sometimes easily.

8. Your hearing has changed

Lastly, your hearing aids are programmed and adjusted to your hearing level. If you haven’t had your hearing tested for quite a few years, your hearing aids might not be suitable for your current hearing anymore. This might lead you to believe that your hearing aids are not working optimally. To avoid this, our audiologist always recommends those with hearing aids to get annual review of their hearing level. This allows our audiologist to monitor any changes to the hearing to make the appropriate adjustment to the hearing aids. Also, sudden hearing loss could be another possibility. Sudden hearing loss requires urgent treatment to prevent it turning permanent. We urge you to inform us immediately if you are experiencing sudden hearing loss.

As you can see, all the issues you might be facing can be solved and you can enjoy hearing your favorite sounds again in no time. One of the biggest mistake hearing aids users make, is thinking that no one would help if any issue is found. We always actively encourage everyone to report all issues. You have spent effort, time and money to make yourself hear better, please don’t give up and leave the hearing aids in the drawers. Feel free to contact us to have a look at them. We are more than happy to help you hear your very best again.

[x_share title=”Share this Post” facebook=”true” twitter=”true” google_plus=”true” linkedin=”true” pinterest=”true” email=”true”]