A Guide to Hearing Aid Repairs

Hearing aids are far more fragile than most people think. They’re small electronic devices that are very susceptible to moisture damage, dirt and wax buildup or even small impacts such as dropping them out of your ear or crushing them when they’re in a tight trouser pocket.

As such, it’s important to understand some of the most common hearing aid repairs and how you can either fix them yourself or when you should take them to your audiologist to be repaired by a professional.

The tubing

If you’re using a behind-the-ear hearing aid, you’ll typically have a small tube that runs from the hearing aid into your air. This is where the amplified sound goes through, so if it becomes clogged, twisted, distorted or damaged, then the sound waves won’t actually reach your ear. Luckily, these tubes can easily be replaced by yourself, but only if you have replacements ready. You’ll want to check the box that your hearing aid came in and see if there are replacement tubes. If not, then you may need to speak with your audiologist and ask for a replacement. These tubes can change over time due to discoloration, hardening or moisture damage, so make sure you inspect it frequently.

Fitting issues

While not necessarily a repair, a common issue with hearing aids is that the fitting will change over time. This is especially true for in-ear hearing aids, which don’t sit behind the ear or make use of a tube. As you age, the structure of your ear may change and you might need to revisit your audiologist to have a new earmold made.

Battery replacements

Batteries are needed to power your hearing aids, so make sure you don’t overlook replacements. Batteries are fairly easy to replace assuming you have a small guide and actual battery replacements. If you don’t have a replacement battery or haven’t been given a guide on how to replace it, then you’ll have to take it to your audiologist. Make sure you don’t force the hearing aid open or attempt to replace the battery with an aftermarket one.

Sound Problems

Anything from distorted sound to low volume could be the result of physical damage to the hearing aid unit. This often means that you’ll need to take the hearing aid to your audiologist and have it inspected. However, if you haven’t dropped the device or accidentally crushed it somehow, then it could just be a setting that you’ve accidentally changed. If you’re unsure how to reset the settings or switch to your default profile, then it’s best to wait for your audiologist to help you fix it. Sound problems can also happen as a result of hearing changes, which are common in seniors. Deteriorating hearing means that your devices may need to be readjusted to account for your hearing changes.