Maintaining your hearing aids is the key to keeping them working well for entirety of their lifetime. Proper care and maintenance requires you to keep up with a regular nightly routine at home as well as to see your Louisville audiologist a few times a year for clean and check appointments.
Below are 10 hearing aid cleaning, maintenance and repair tips every hearing aid user should know:
- Never skip daily cleanings. Always use a soft, dry cloth to wipe down your hearing aids’ interior and exterior. We recommend using a cleaning tool or cleaning kit to get to all hard-to-reach areas. Dehumidifiers are another great option for ensuring your devices are moisture-free and ready for each day.
- Replace parts as needed. Depending on the type of hearing aids you use, you may need to regularly replace batteries, tubing, wax guards and/or wax filters. Always have plenty of spare components on hand and replace older parts when they show signs of growing dirty, clogged or are worn out.
- Keep your hearing aids clean and dry. Hearing aids constantly exposed to potentially damaging particles including lotions, hair sprays, rain, snow, earwax, dirt and dust. The more care you take to protect your devices from the elements, the lower the risk of a malfunction.
- Take hearing aid batteries out at night. This offers several benefits, including: it will extend the life of the batteries, allow your hearing aids to dry out thoroughly, prevent your devices from being accidentally turned on when not in use, and encourage proper cleaning of the battery compartment, including the battery contacts.
- Schedule two to four “clean and checks” annually. Clean and check appointments are very important, as they allow your audiologist to assess your devices to ensure you’re hearing at your very best. During these appointments, which can be made at any of Heuser Hearing Clinic’s Louisville hearing aid centers, we will professionally clean your devices and perform a series of tests using specialized equipment to make sure there are no problems.
- Troubleshoot at home. Many times, minor issues can cause your hearing aids to function poorly or stop working altogether. Before you visit a hearing aid specialist for repair, try removing and replacing the battery, cleaning the battery apartment, checking all programming and settings, removing and reinserting the device, and replacing tubing and wax filters.
- Utilize your audiologist. Anytime you’re concerned that you are not getting the most out of your hearing aids, you should schedule an appointment with your audiologist. Today’s devices are very complex and imperfect programming can have a substantial effect on how well your hearing aids are performing.
- Don’t forget your warranty. Hearing aids are always backed by a manufacturer’s warranty; it is important to remember the terms of your warranty to ensure you get any repairs you need. If your warranty is running out soon, come see us for a warranty repair and check appointment to make sure there are no problems with your devices.
- Ask about accessories. Even the best hearing aids on the market might fall short in some situations. Instead of getting frustrated when you can’t hear, talk to your audiologist about possible solutions. In almost every case, there is an effective solution for your concerns using either special programming techniques or one of the many hearing aid accessories on the market.
- Avoid outdated technology. Hearing aids have been rapidly advancing for the past several years since the advent of digital technology. Today’s devices perform far better than those from just a few years ago. While hearing aids are a big investment, hearing well is worth keeping up with advances in technology for hearing aids, assistive listening devices, and accessories.
Call Heuser Hearing Institute at (502) 563-1645 for more information or to schedule an appointment.