Time To Read: 9 minutes
When you rely on your hearing aids, it's quite distressing when they don't appear to work. We have a guide on things you can look at straight away.
Once you've been wearing hearing aids for a while, you'll know how essential they are getting the most out of life.
So it's no surprise that some clients experience a moment of panic when their hearing aids don't work.
While we welcome anyone to call us at anytime about their hearing aids, we have some great tips you might want to try before picking up the phone.
No sound
No ears? Oh no! Don’t worry, there are plenty of things you can check straight away:
- Have you accidentally switched off your hearing aid?
- Battery operated hearing aids
- Make sure the door is closed
- Rechargeable hearing aids
- Hold the button for up to seven seconds until you see the light come on
- Follow the instructions which came with your hearing aids
- Battery operated hearing aids
- Is the volume too low?
- The volume may have been accidentally turned down
- Increase the volume to see if it makes a difference
- The volume may have been accidentally turned down
- Do your batteries need recharging?
- You might have forgotten to put your phone on charge or your hearing aids may not have seated correctly in the charger
- Put your hearing aids in to charge
- You might have forgotten to put your phone on charge or your hearing aids may not have seated correctly in the charger
- Do you batteries need changing/inserting correctly
- You might have forgotten to change your batteries or,
- You might have put your batteries in upside down (you can tell because the battery door won’t close properly).
- Ensure the batteries have been inserted correctly
- Replace the batteries as required
- Are the receiver tubes blocked?
- You will need to clean or replace the tubes
- See our free booklet What To Expect From Your New Hearing Aids for tips and hints on caring on your hearing aids.
- You will need to clean or replace the tubes
- Are the microphone ports blocked with wax?
- Make sure you regularly clean your hearing aids
- See our free booklet What To Expect From Your New Hearing Aids for tips and hints on caring on your hearing aids.
- Make sure you regularly clean your hearing aids
The sound is distorted/ not loud
If, after trying these tips your hearing aids still don’t sound right, you may need to make an appointment as your hearing may have changed.
- Is the hearing aid set to the right program?
- It might have been accidentally set to the wrong one
- Put it on the right program setting
- It might have been accidentally set to the wrong one
- Is the hearing aid set to the right volume?
- It might have been accidentally set to the wrong one
- Put it on the right volume setting
- It might have been accidentally set to the wrong one
- Have you cleaned dust or debris from around the controls?
- They can get clogged.
- Switched or roll the dials to dislodge any debris, then set to your normal program
- They can get clogged.
- Are microphone, tube, earpiece in need of cleaning?
- Make sure you regularly clean your hearing aids
- See our free booklet What To Expect From Your New Hearing Aids for tips and hints on caring on your hearing aids.
- Make sure you regularly clean your hearing aids
- Are the battery contacts corroded?
- This is a more serious issue
- Replace the battery and clean the contacts. If the contacts are seriously damaged, they will need to be returned for servicing
- This is a more serious issue
- Does the hearing aid need drying/dehumidifying?
- Try using a dryer/dehumidifier for 24 hours hours
- Hearing aids need to be kept moisture free
- Try using a dryer/dehumidifier for 24 hours hours
Whistling/Feedback
Need some feedback on feedback?
- Is the hearing aid inserted properly?
- Sometimes hearing aids are misaligned in your ears
- Don’t turn your head before the hearing aid is secured, or it might contribute to the problem.
- Sometimes hearing aids are misaligned in your ears
- Is the dome correctly sized for your ear?
- Ill-fitting domes cause feedback.
- Ask about trying a closed tip or a dome of a different size.
- Ill-fitting domes cause feedback.
- Is your hearing aid too loud?
- Sometimes hearing aids set too loud can feed the signal back on itself.
- Try using the hearing aid at a lower volume
- Sometimes hearing aids set too loud can feed the signal back on itself.
- Are your ears blocked?
- You might have a wax build up
- It might be a trip to the doctor or wax removal clinic is in order
- You might have a wax build up
- Are there cracks in the tubing or ear hook?
- Make sure you regularly service your hearing aids
- See our free booklet What To Expect From Your New Hearing Aids for tips and hints on caring on your hearing aids.
- Make sure you regularly service your hearing aids
My ears hurt
Ouch! But the good news is, there are things you can try.
- Have you put the hearing aids in the correct ears?
- You might be surprised!
- Remember red = right; blue = left
- You might be surprised!
- Are the moulds correct for your ears?
- If the aids are still uncomfortable after a few days, speak with your audiologist who may suggest taking a new impression.
- Does the tubing need to be extended?
- If it is rubbing against your ears, speak with your audiologist
- Have you tried this?
- Place a dab of hearing aid gel or baby oil at the entrance of the ear after you remove your hearing aids each night.
My Hearing Aids Won’t Connect to Bluetooth
Note: You hearing aids still work as hearing aids, even if they do not or cannot connect to Bluetooth.
There are many different types of smartphones and smart devices on the market. It is important you are familiar with them and how your phone and devices work.
- Connecting With Bluetooth
- Go to Settings
- Bluetooth – on
- Open and close the battery door on right hearing aid (now in pairing mode for 3 minutes)
- (Or turn rechargeable aid off and back on again)
- If does not connect under my devices then you need to click on (i) and forget this device
- Open and close the battery door on right and it will again search
- (Or turn rechargeable aid off and back on again)
- Should now show as connected
- Open and close the battery compartment on left aid so connects to right aid
- (Or turn rechargeable aid off and back on again)
- Go to Settings
- For Volume Control
- Open app – continue
- Open and close battery doors on the left and right aids - Should pair aids
- (Or turn rechargeable aids off and back on again)
- If does not then need to press cog icon in the top right corner of the app
- Click on My Hearing aids
- Select My Devices
- Choose Forget Devices
- Open and close battery doors on both hearing aids (now in pairing mode for 3 minutes)
- (Or turn rechargeable aids off and back on again)
- App should search and find and offer to pair – pair one and then the other
Further reading
- How To Clean Your Hearing Aids
- What to expect from Bluetooth Hearing Aids
- The Truth about Bluetooth (and radiation)
- Can my Bluetooth Hearing Aids get hacked?
- How we ensure your experience is consistent
- What you need to know about Hearing Aid Insurance
- Reduce clinic visits without sacrificing outcomes
- Do I really need such an expensive hearing aid?
- Introducing Bluetooth Hearing Aids
