Repairing Your Hearing Aids

There are no two ways about it: hearing aids are an investment. Despite the cost, hearing aids can and are likely to malfunction or require repair. Hearing aid repairs can be costly. However, if you understand how hearing aids work and can troubleshoot common problems at home, you can save yourself a lot of time and money.

How a hearing aid works

Hearing aids don’t actually repair one’s hearing; rather they amplify the sound then enters the ear canal. A microphone works as an amplifier to increase the intensity of the sound entering the canal. To amplify it, the sound waves are transformed from acoustic waves to electrical waves. They are amplified as electrical waves, transformed back into acoustic waves and are then delivered to the brain.

Troubleshooting at home

If you know how a hearing aid works, there’s a lot you can do at home if your aids need repair. Before seeking professional help for repair, consider troubleshooting the issue. Common troubleshooting tips and tricks include:

• Checking or replacing the battery
• Thoroughly cleaning all components of the hearing aid, including the shell, microphone port and tubing
• Making sure the hearing aid is turned on
• Checking the volume of the hearing aid is at an appropriate level

If the troubleshooting doesn’t work, you’ll likely need an appointment with the provider who fitted your hearing aids or with an audiologist. They will be able to diagnose the trouble with your aids and determine whether repair or replacement is the best option.

Hearing aid repairs

If your hearing aids require repair, explore all options available to your for reducing your overall cost. Ways to mitigate costs include:

• Checking any manufacturer’s warranty to see if repairs are covered
• Checking with any insurance on your hearing aids to see if repairs are included
• Contact the VA if you are a veteran, as VA services provide repairs for low to no cost
• Getting a cost estimate, which will enable you to shop around for the best repair price.

Hearing aid repairs are inconvenient, but it’s best to have any issues checked out as soon as possible by your audiologist. The earlier you get down to the cause of the problems, the faster and easier your audiologist can make necessary hearing aid repairs.