If you find yourself struggling to get the best possible sound from your hearing aids, there are things you can do. While every hearing aid user will face challenges on occasion, there are ways of troubleshooting common hearing aid problems to restore the clarity and sharpness of sounds you once enjoyed with your ears.
Understanding common hearing aid issues is an important first step. Read on to find out which ones you’re most likely to experience and how you can solve them.
1. Feedback
This is an annoying problem that a couple of different issues could cause. If you think you have feedback, you should check your hearing aid’s volume controls, as well as its microphone sensitivity settings. If this doesn’t resolve the problem, check if your hearing aid is secure and snug in your ear. If it isn’t, that could be a major cause of feedback (one you can easily fix).
2. Channel imbalance
In cases of channel imbalance, one ear hears more than the other, or one ear hears louder sounds than the other. To fix this, you may need to adjust the volume controls on your hearing aid.
3. Distortion
This is a similar issue to feedback, but it isn’t generated by the hearing aid itself. It may be caused by other devices that emit sounds, like fans or TV. To ensure that the problem isn’t the result of the hearing aid itself, try adjusting the volume controls or completely turning the hearing aid off.
4. Humming
Humming is a particular type of sound. It’s caused by the microphone’s sound being picked up and then amplified. To solve this problem, you can attempt to adjust the microphone settings and other volume controls.
5. Sizzling
A less common issue than the others on this list, sizzling is a loud, peculiar noise. If you hear sizzling, it may be a sign of a problem with the electronics. You should have your hearing aid serviced if you notice sizzling often.
6. Hissing
This is a noise that’s caused by the hearing aid’s amplification system. It’s not a serious problem, but you should investigate solutions for hissing for the sake of enjoying a more pleasurable experience. If you notice hissing often, you can check if the hearing aid is snug and secure in your ear. This helps to eliminate problems caused by loose hearing aids.
7. Low frequency
Low-frequency sounds are generally affected by a hearing aid’s frequency response. This can cause a problem in a hearing aid’s acoustic output. If you notice this problem often, you should consult a professional hearing aid specialist to have the hearing aid adjusted and/or serviced.
8. High frequency
High-frequency sounds are generally affected by a hearing aid’s frequency response. This can cause a problem in a hearing aid’s acoustic output. If you notice this problem often, you should consult a professional hearing aid specialist to have the hearing aid adjusted and/or serviced.
9. Inability to adjust the volume
Modern hearing aids have digital systems that manipulate sounds to help improve their clarity. However, those systems need to be set up properly. If the volume can’t be adjusted, the hearing aid probably hasn’t been configured correctly.
10. Audio quality
The quality of sound can be affected by several things. This is natural, but you should still make sure you’re getting the best possible sound. If the audio isn’t up to par, you can adjust the volume on your hearing aid, try a different hearing aid, or consult with a hearing professional.
Hear Better With Your Hearing Aid
There are several circumstances that could be causing your hearing aid to malfunction, ranging from relatively simple problems that you can handle yourself to more complicated issues that require professional help. Consider the following when troubleshooting your hearing aid difficulty to find an appropriate solution.
Are you looking for the best hearing aid? Hear More Associates is the most trusted hearing care specialist in Lexington and Greater Boston, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Contact us!
