Hearing aids are sturdy devices, but you may run into problems sometimes that require professional repairs. Before you take your hearing aid to the audiologist, there are a few things you should check yourself first, since problems with clogs or the battery can cause your hearing aid to stop working. Here's what you can do when your hearing aid isn't working properly.

Change The Battery

Battery problems can cause your hearing aid to go silent, whistle, cut in and out, and have low sound. If you just changed your battery, check to see the sticker is off it, and it is inserted properly. If you haven't changed the battery lately, it might be low or dead. Before you buy a new battery, try taking the old one out and reinsert it a few times. If that doesn't work, put in a new battery. If you still have low sound or no sound, check your device for a clog.

Clean Out Clogs

Ear wax can block the mold, tubing, or microphone. Since the wax may be hard to see, try cleaning your hearing aid to see if it helps. Use your brush tool to clean the inside of the tubing and around the ear mold. Look for signs of moisture inside the tubing. If your hearing aid got wet, you may need to let it dry out thoroughly before it will start working properly again.

Check For Ear Wax

If you still can't hear after changing the battery and cleaning your hearing aid, you may want to have your ears examined for ear wax. If you have wax built up in your ear canal, it will block sound and you won't be able to hear even if your hearing aid is working properly. You'll need to visit your doctor, nurse, or audiologist to have your ears examined and cleaned.

Adjust Your Device

If problems with your hearing aid seem to come and go, you might have a problem with the fit. The mold is custom made for your ear, so it should fit perfectly. If it doesn't, you'll have problems with whistling and low sound. If your problems came on slowly, you might need to adjust your hearing aid to compensate for advancing hearing loss. In these cases, you'll need to see your audiologist to have your hearing aid adjusted or changed, so you can hear well again.

Get Professional Repair

If you can't uncover the cause of the trouble with your hearing aid, take it to your audiologist for repairs. It may need to be professionally cleaned to get wax and debris out of the small components. You might also need to have the tubing or a cracked plastic part replaced. There could be a problem with the microphone or other electronic component. It might even be time for a new device, especially if you've been having frequent problems and your hearing aid is several years old.

Once your hearing aid is working properly once again, remember to clean it daily, keep it dry, and protect it from damage. That may help you prevent problems in the future. For more tips, contact a company like Audibel Hearing Aid Centers.