Can Regular Maintenance Help You Avoid Hearing Aid Repairs?

Since the very first electric hearing aid was invented over 100 years ago, individuals with hearing loss have made use of this fantastic piece of technology. 

One thing that often can go overlooked is the maintenance of hearing devices. We look today at whether or not performing some daily maintenance on your hearing aid can help you avoid repairs.

Knowing how it works

One of the most important things to know about modern hearing devices is how they function. Having an understanding of the basics of how the hearing aid works will allow you to focus on the essential parts to maintain.

The two most important parts of your hearing aid are the microphone and the sound outlet. The operation of the hearing aid is relatively simple. The microphone picks up sounds; it then converts those sounds to electrical signals. The signals are then sent to an amplifier. The amplifier increases the signal power and transmits it through a speaker into the ear.

A 1.25v battery powers the device itself. This battery needs to have clean access to the devices heads for signals to transmit correctly. Should the battery not have direct access to the powerhead of the device, you may run into issues.

Battery communication can present issues with sound distortion and even volume issues. 

Maintaining

Now we know the basic functionality of the hearing device, we know what are the key points to keep clean.

When it comes to the microphone and the speaker, both of these should be cleaned daily. We expel earwax in tiny amounts throughout 24 hours. This oil collection of dead skin cells can cause a plethora of issues with your hearing device. 

Your hearing device will come with a manufacturer-provided cleaning kit, and you should try to do essential maintenance at least once per day.

Certain aspects of the device will require cleaning weekly. The battery will need changing every one-two weeks. This is the time you should be looking at cleaning the battery heads with a dry cotton bud. You should also be careful to introduce no moisture to your battery housing.

You should never introduce heavy cleaning solvents or alcohol when it comes to cleaning your hearing device. You can contact your local audiologist to find out what are the best wipes and sprays to clean your equipment.

You should also take care of your hearing device when it comes to personal grooming. Hairspray and fragrances can cause almost invisible blockages and even severe corrosion.

When we look at hearing devices in general, they are simple, yet infinitely complex pieces of technology. Regular maintenance will help your hearing device. 

However, you should always visit your audiologist should you have any cleaning doubts, or should your device require even the most basic of maintenance. If you notice any small changes with the performance of the device, your audiologist will always be your safest bet.