What Causes Hearing Aids to Stop Working?

Your hearing aid is designed to last a long time. However, they can periodically stop working because of some small issues. So, before you panic and worry that your device may have been damaged completely, let’s explore some of the things that can affect your hearing aid’s functionality and impair its ability to serve you properly.

Poor Fitting

As with eyeglass prescriptions, hearing aids prescriptions can change, causing people to outgrow the effectiveness of their units. In scenarios like this, the hearing aid still works fine, it just doesn’t for you. If this happens, you will need a completely new hearing aid. Then, there’s the case of bigger ears. Over time, people’s ears grow bigger. This means that the hearing aid that could comfortably fit in your ear in the past no longer fits snugly. If this happens, then you may need a completely new earmold as hearing aids require the perfect fitting to work effectively. If it’s been a while since your last fitting, speak to your audiologist about this and let them check the unit.

Blocked or Damaged Tubing or Microphone

The daily use of your hearing aid is bound to lead to a lot of wear and tear. So, if you use a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid, see if the tubing is blocked or damaged. If it is blocked, you can use tools like the earwax cleaner and pick that’s in the cleaning kit that comes with the hearing aid to clean the tubing. But if it’s torn, cracked, overstretched or damaged in some way, you may need a hearing aid repair expert to help fix the problem. The same applies to the microphone. If this is damaged, you’ll need the help of a professional to repair it.

Weak or Dead Battery

Whether you’re using a replaceable battery or a rechargeable one, you need to check to see if the battery is still in great condition. If you’re using a device with a rechargeable battery, see if the battery is low. Just plug it to charge for a while and see if it comes back on or works well. If it’s a replaceable battery, check to see if it’s properly positioned first. If it is, check for its expiry date. If the battery has surpassed its expiry date, it’s time to change the battery. And even if it hasn’t, buy a new one and put it in the device. Sometimes, this simple act can bring the device back to life.

Drying the Device with Hot Air

If you’ve tried to get rid of moisture and dampness from your hearing device using hair dryers, then you need to make sure that you haven’t inadvertently fried the electrical circuits and components in the device. You see, your device is very sensitive to heat, and the heat from hair dryers can destroy the components in the device. This is why it’s recommended that you only use special hearing aid dryers. If after exploring these options, your hearing aid doesn’t work, then it’s time to visit your audiologist to see what can be done about your hearing aid’s repairs or replacement.