4 FAQs About Hearing Aid Repairs

Hearing aids are incredibly fragile devices. In fact, you may have broken or damaged your hearing aids in the past, especially if you’re new to using them and you’re unsure how to best take care of them. Sadly, this is incredibly common and most people will spend unnecessary amounts of money fixing or replacing their hearing aids due to neglect.

If you’ve received a pair of hearing aids from your hearing health professional, then it’s a good idea to look after them as best as you can so that there’s less chance of you needing to replace them in the future or buy a new pair.

To give you a better understanding of hearing aids and their repairs, here are four frequently asked questions about hearing aid repairs.

1. Can my hearing specialist help me with my hearing aids?

Absolutely. Make sure you speak to the hearing health provider that helped you pick a pair of hearing aids. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions or show them your hearing aids for a regular maintenance checkup. You should also ask them how to take care of your hearing aids, how to clean them and even how you can perform your own maintenance in the future such as replacing the batteries.

2. Are there any DIY repairs I can perform?

Hearing aids are incredibly difficult to repair yourself. This is because they contain lots of small parts and you’ll need specialized tools just to get into the hearing aid unit. While you can fix small issues, it’s recommended that you do not attempt to fix it yourself because you could cause more damage to it. At best, play around with the settings and buttons to see if you can fix anything. You could also try to clean the hearing aid, but make sure you follow what your hearing care provider has taught you about maintaining your hearing aids.

3. Is repairing always cheaper than replacing?

Not necessarily. There are many things to consider for this question and you’re better off speaking to a hearing health professional for more detailed advice. In most cases, if the repairs are expensive and take a long time, then you may want to replace your hearing aids. This is especially true if you find that your hearing aids break often or don’t have the features that you want. If your hearing aids are a custom model that have been made to fit your ears, then it might be wiser to repair them unless they lack certain features that you need.

4. How can I tell when my hearing aid needs repairs?

Most of the time, your hearing aids will start degrading in quality. This might mean quieter volume or even muffled noises. If you don’t think your hearing aids are performing as well as they did in the past, then it’s a good idea to take them to a hearing specialist for a thorough examination. In general, the things to look out for are drops in quality, volume, and features that no longer work or perform poorly.