Can A Broken Hearing Aid Be Repaired?
Hearing aid devices have changed the lives of many with hearing loss and impairment, but these small and fragile devices can also easily suffer damage and require regular maintenance. Whether they experience a cracked shell, need a simple cleaning, or have issues with battery components, the hearing care professionals at Southwestern Hearing Center can make sure hearing technology is operating at its top capacity for wearers. We invest in hearing aid repair and maintenance services so customers can avoid costly replacements and time without operating hearing devices making their lives better.
Types of Hearing Aids
There are two main types of hearing aid designs for wearers to choose from. Each type of hearing device comes with its own unique set of internal components and features.
Behind-The-Ear (BTE)
This style of hearing aid device positions the battery compartment and the internal components behind the ear of the wearer. A thin cord is fitted over the shell of the ear and connects the device to the inner ear canal where sound waves are amplified.
In-The-Ear (ITE)
For this style, hearing aid batteries and components are housed within the ear, providing a sleek and nearly invisible design. The in-ear device catches sound waves as they enter the inner ear and amplifies them for wearers.
Features of Hearing Aids
While each hearing aid brand is different, there are some common features and technologies that many hearing aid wearers look for when choosing a hearing device.
Bluetooth Pairing
Some hearing aid manufacturer companies have developed aids that have Bluetooth capabilities. This broadens the scope of hearing options for wearers by allowing them to connect directly to devices like televisions, smartphones, and radios for better quality sound amplification. Now, wearers can hear phone conversations and their favorite television shows directly from the technology device instead of relying on the amplification of sound waves that have traveled through the air to their hearing aid receiver.
Batteries
Batteries for a hearing aid can come in two major forms. Replacement batteries are the common type of battery that has a certain power life and then are easily swapped out with a replacement. These are typically easy to operate and can be replaced each time by the hearing aid wearer.
More recently, hearing aids have been developed to run on rechargeable batteries. These devices can be attached to a charger each night and will have a full battery charge for the next day of wear. This comes with a new level of convenience and dependability for wearers who will no longer need to worry about batteries giving out at inconvenient times or regularly being replaced. However, these batteries do have a shelf life and must be switched out every few years. Rechargeable batteries come with a much higher cost of replacement parts and sometimes require a hearing aid expert to replace them.
Background Noise Cancellation
New and improved input settings for hearing aids, along with the development of phone applications to adjust settings, have provided wearers with the customization they need to tailor their hearing experience. One major setting improvement comes with background noise reduction technology. This allows a device to pick up and amplify the important sounds while reducing interference from background noise. Now, a hearing aid will amplify the conversation a wearer is having with a friend while reducing the sounds coming from the busy cafe they might be sitting in.
Common Hearing Aid Repairs
Minor hearing aid repairs are common and typically easy for a hearing aid repair service, like our experts at Southwestern Hearing Center, to perform. Beyond normal issues, some major damage might require a trip back to the hearing aid manufacturer.
Clogged Connector Tubes
One downside to wearing hearing aids daily is the device’s tendency to disrupt the ears’ natural ability to clean itself by removing excess earwax. Instead of regularly cleaning out, earwax can build up inside the ear canal and, eventually, the connector tubes of a hearing aid.
When this issue occurs, replacement tubing must be ordered and a hearing aid specialist can replace the clogged tubes. Unfortunately, there isn’t a great way to repair a clogged tube, so replacement is typically the best option.
Battery Damage
Batteries can suffer physical damage for many different reasons when in a hearing device. Whether moisture has caused erosion or long-term use has caused a battery to simply have run its course, battery damage is one of the most common hearing aid issues wearers face. Most of the time, this problem can be fixed by simply replacing the damaged battery. In some cases, hearing aid professionals will need to extract the battery safely and put in a new one.
If the battery storage area or the inner battery usage components have been damaged, either a hearing device professional or the manufacturer will most likely need to implement extensive repairs or replacements of inner device parts.
Hearing Aid Hook Damage
The hook portion of a hearing aid is the connective tube or hook that goes over the ear shell, keeping the hearing aid in place with a behind-the-ear hearing aid design. Damage to this hook is one of the most common repairs hearing aid technicians see. Without this hook in proper condition, the hearing aid cannot be worn appropriately or kept in place on the ear.
While minor damage might be subject to repair by my hearing aid professionals, most damages to the hook require a replacement hook.
Repair Costs
The cost of repair for most hearing aid damage will depend heavily on the issues being resolved. If the hearing aid only requires a minor fix, customers may only need to pay for a quick repair technician service and they’ll be on their way. For more major issues, repairs may require intensive repair time and replacement component costs. When a problem with a hearing aid arises, wearers should always contact their hearing aid provider as quickly as possible to get issues resolved and hearing aids back to their peak operation.
Hearing Aid Maintenance
The best way to avoid costly repairs is for patients to invest in regular hearing aid maintenance every day. Whether that comes with professional cleaning from their hearing aid provider, cleaning tools at home, or following proper guidance to maintain hearing aid quality, there are many ways hearing aid users can help increase the longevity and use of their hearing devices.
Storage
Hearing aids and moisture typically don’t mix well. Storing and charging hearing aids in a dry, comfortable environment when not being worn can help avoid a wide range of moisture-related damage over time.
Hygiene
Anything worn daily will need its fair share of cleaning and maintenance. Users can invest in a cleaning tool to use at home to keep hearing devices free from earwax build-up and other issues in between uses. This can help prevent clogged tubes and other hygiene-related problems.
Battery Life
Wearers can get to know the proper guidelines around the battery type their hearing aids use. Proper usage can help improve the life of a battery, whether it’s a rechargeable option or a replaceable and help prevent damage to the battery storage area in the device.
We do Hearing Aid Repair
If you need assistance getting your hearing aid working or diagnosed come visit us or contact us today. We are the pros at all things hearing aids and will gladly help in any way we can.