How Maintenance Can Help You Prevent Hearing Aid Repairs

The last thing that any hearing aid user wants is for their device to stop working, whether completely or partly. It can cause significant distress – hearing aids can change the life of the wearer, taking them from a world of silence to a world full of noise. When a hearing aid needs repairing, this means going for some time without them.

Of course, one of the best things that a hearing aid wearer can do is to prevent repairs from needing to happen in the first place. Some things are completely unavoidable, but in many cases, simple maintenance can be the difference between needing repairs and not. 

Let’s take a look at how maintenance can help you to prevent hearing aid repairs.

Clean off any earwax build-up

Earwax is a sticky material that forms in the ears to remove dust and other debris from the ear canal. Wearing a hearing aid on a can hinder this mechanism, causing excess earwax to cover the sensitive eardrum-facing end of the implant. If earwax is not removed, it can damage the speaker and penetrate the unit, causing wear and damage.

Hearing health professionals advise people who use hearing aids to wipe off any extra wax on a regular basis, paying special attention to any residue on the wax guard. You will find the wax guard in the in-ear segment of your hearing aid and remove any excess wax that has accumulated.

Change the earwax filter

Following on from the previous point, regularly changing the earwax filter in your hearing aid can help you to avoid repairs. A hearing aid earwax filter is a thin piece of material that fits over the end of the speaker. These filters stop wax from getting into the system through the open parts. 

Earwax filters may become encrusted in earwax, and in some cases, tiny bits of earwax debris can move into the device's core, possibly causing harm to the delicate elements inside.

Most manufacturers make the earwax filter removable, making it simple to clean. If you find any earwax or dirt on the filter, carefully remove it before replacing the filter, which is now ready to use.

Keep them dry

Hearing aids, like any other electronic product, do not interact well with water. While some manufacturers say that their products are water-resistant, this does not imply that they are waterproof. Water-resistant hearing aids can tolerate rain and sweat but not total immersion in water.

Be gentle

Hearing aids have become more durable over time as internal components and housing materials have improved. Newer designs, such as completely-in-canal and in-the-ear, secure the devices by enclosing them entirely inside the ear canal, with few external components.

Nonetheless, it is important to treat your hearing aids with caution. Hearing aids, particularly behind-the-ear models, are vulnerable to damage. When taking them out to clean or to change the battery, put them down on a soft surface, such as a clean towel.

Looking after your hearing aids and ensuring you maintain them will help to prevent hearing aid repairs from being necessary.