What are the Most Common Hearing Aid Repairs?

~ Mary H. Sohler, AU.D., LIC.-A, CCC-A

Hearing aids can prove extremely beneficial for a wide range of individuals who are experiencing hearing loss to one degree or another – as these devices have the potential to make navigating everyday life scenarios significantly more pleasant and can even prove helpful in addressing conditions such as tinnitus.

Today, hearing aids are more sophisticated than they have ever been before, and a skilled and qualified hearing health professional will be able to ensure that you are fitted with a hearing aid which is perfectly tailored to your unique situation, and that includes the sort of optional features that may be especially useful for you – such as Bluetooth integration with your phone.

But what are some of the most common hearing aid repairs that you may need to investigate for your own hearing aids?

Damaged Microphones

Your hearing aids work, in large part, by picking up sounds from your external environment using an inbuilt microphone, and then amplifying the right frequencies so that you can better hear and make sense of things happening around you in a comfortable manner.

If you find that your hearing aids are no longer providing you with the same degree of audio quality, or the same volume of sound that they once were, it might be the case that the microphone on your hearing aid needs to be repaired.

Many individuals, when they notice that they aren’t getting the same sound quality from their hearing aids that they once were, assume that their hearing has deteriorated, but this may not be the case. Getting your hearing aid checked by a hearing healthcare provider is an important step to take in order to rule out different possibilities.

As repairing the microphone on your hearing aid is likely to be a technical and involved process, this will normally involve sending your hearing aid to the manufacturer for a time.

Earmold Wear and Tear

The earmold is the part of your hearing aid that sits in your ear, and that is shaped to carefully and comfortably conform to the contours of your ear. It’s normal for the earmold of your hearing aid to experience wear and tear over time, and when this happens you may find that your hearing aid becomes somewhat uncomfortable to wear, and that it isn’t sitting in your ear as snugly as it was before.

Getting your hearing aid’s earmold repaired tends to be a pretty quick and straightforward process, particularly in cases where your hearing care provider already has casts of your ears.

Tubing Issues

Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids will feature tubing that connects the earmold section of the hearing aid with the hearing aid unit itself – and these tubes are essential for effectively transporting the amplified sound from your hearing aids to your ears.

Tubing is relatively fragile and will naturally deteriorate over time. It can harden, stretch and warp out of shape, crack, become discolored and degrade in other ways as a result of things like moisture and debris – and also just as a result of the passing of time.

If the tubing on your hearing aid is damaged or becomes substantially deteriorated, the device won’t function as it should. The tubing on your hearing aids will need to be replaced from time to time, likely at fairly regular intervals.

Fortunately, having the tubing on your hearing aids replaced tends to be quite a straightforward repair procedure.

Damaged Ear Hooks

For in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids to stay in place, they require ear hooks that protrude slightly from the device and fit snugly around the ear. When all is going well, the ear hooks will ensure a good fit and the hearing aid will stay put while doing its job as intended.

As ear hooks protrude from the device, however, it’s not uncommon for them to become damaged over time as a result of being laid on, stepped on or bumped against something. If your hearing aid’s ear hooks become damaged, you may be able to bend them back into the right place – or to glue them back together so that they work just as intended once more.

Ideally, though, you should consult with your hearing health professional if your hearing aid’s ear hooks become damaged, as they will generally be in a position to repair the ear hooks in a more professional and long-lasting manner.

Do you need professional assistance with your hearing aids? Bluegrass Hearing Clinic offers specialized hearing aid services to take care of all your hearing needs. Feel free to give one of our offices a call today: