Why Do Hearing Devices Break?

As you may know, the ear canal naturally secretes a protective substance called earwax. This wax settles on the headphones of hearing aids and can prevent the device from working correctly. The sound is less loud or has lost quality. If the device seems to be broken, then you should consult a hearing care professional. You should always look at ways to maintain your hearing device to get the best benefits from it. If you fail to maintain it, then you will find certain problems will arise. You will need to look at hearing aid repairs by a professional if there are any serious issues.

Here is why careful, routine maintenance is essential to have hearing aids in optimal condition!

Loose hearing tube or wires: Older devices

If you are dealing with low volume or partial loss of amplification, the thin tube may simply unclip. If you can reattach it correctly, the hearing instrument should immediately function normally. This can happen from improper maintenance or an outdated device. 

My device does not seem to turn on: Lack of maintenance 

Depending on how your hearing aid is powered, it may be either the batteries that are dead or the rechargeable battery that is dead. To put your hearing aid back into operation, you can either: 

• Recharge the battery using the provided charger 
• Change the hearing aid batteries on non-rechargeable models

A faulty battery drawer can also lead to false contact. If the battery is changed and the fault persists, it is better to show the faulty hearing aids to your hearing care professional. This can happen if the hearing device is old and the battery is wearing out. 

Hearing aid and humidity: Fault in the electrical circuit 

Humidity is the arch-enemy of electronic components. While drying precautions are required in summer, wiping your hearing aids if you sweat is valid all year round. One of the routine maintenance procedures for your hearing aids is to use a dehumidification box or kit to dehumidify your hearing aids. Good to know: the dehumidification tablets alone to absorb micro-droplets that might be in the device are not sufficient. If you keep your hearing device away from the bathroom, or the beach, or anywhere that is damp and possibly humid, you can avoid these issues. 

Hearing aids are whistling: Lack of care

People with older hearing aids often face technical problems such as annoying whistling. It is, in fact, an acoustic feedback phenomenon: sound leaks start in the auditory canal and are picked up and re-amplified by the microphone of the hearing device; the acoustic system, therefore, operates in a loop, and there is a whistling sound. Fortunately, new hearing aids have sophisticated systems to suppress this effect. 

Dirt gathers: Improper storage and cleaning  

If you don’t store and clean your device, your hearing aid will not function properly. You should ensure that it is stored in a cool place. You should also leave the battery door open to allow airing overnight and get rid of any built-up moisture.