How Clinics Keep Your Hearing Devices Maintained and Updated

October in the Wiregrass means peanut harvest, and anyone who lives around Dothan knows what that looks like. Fields get turned over, combines run late into the evening and a fine layer of dust settles on just about everything.

Even if you don’t farm, you’ve likely driven behind a tractor on a county road or wiped dust off your windshield. That same dust, along with the humidity that hangs on well into fall, finds its way into hearing aids too.

Most people don’t notice anything until the sound starts to fade or cut out. By then, a microphone might be partly blocked or a receiver might be struggling with moisture.

Hearing aids also run on software, and that software gets updates that you may never hear about. Cleaning them at home helps, but there’s only so much you can reach with a brush and a cloth. The rest needs tools and testing equipment your clinic keeps on hand.

Signs Your Hearing Aid Needs Professional Attention

Hearing aids deal with wax, moisture, skin oils and daily wear, so an occasional problem is not unusual. Sometimes a fresh battery, clean wax guard or quick surface cleaning fixes it. Other problems keep coming back no matter what you try at home.

It is worth having your audiologist take a look if you notice:

• Voices suddenly sounding distorted or muffled
• Rechargeable batteries dying much sooner than usual
• Whistling when you chew, smile or move your head
• Crackling or sound that cuts in and out
• Weak volume even after changing the wax guard

What Happens During an In-Clinic Hearing Aid Check

Your audiologist will usually start by asking what the hearing aid has been doing. A device that cuts out randomly points them in a different direction than one that suddenly sounds weak or distorted.

Next comes a close inspection of the hearing aid itself. Your audiologist looks for cracks, blocked openings, worn tubing, damaged battery contacts or anything else that could interfere with sound or power.

They may also listen to the hearing aid through clinic equipment to check the sound coming from the microphones and receiver. If needed, the device can be connected to programming software to review its settings and make sure it is responding properly. The exact process depends on the hearing aid and the problem you brought in.

What Professional Hearing Aid Cleaning Does Differently

Home cleaning handles the buildup you can easily see. The trouble is that wax and debris also collect around microphone openings, receivers and other tiny spaces that are harder to reach safely.

An audiologist has tools designed for those areas. Small brushes, suction tools and other clinic equipment remove buildup without digging into delicate openings. Detachable earmolds and tubing may also be cleaned separately when they need more than a quick wipe.

Moisture is another common problem, especially in a warm, humid area like Dothan. Sweat and humidity do not always stay on the outside of the hearing aid. Professional drying equipment may be used when moisture has worked its way farther into the device.

Protecting Hearing Aids From Dothan Heat and Humidity

Warm, humid weather around Dothan gives hearing aids plenty of opportunities to pick up moisture. Sweat, skin oils and outdoor dust collect around microphone openings, charging contacts and the parts that sit inside your ears.

A simple evening routine helps keep that buildup from sitting on the devices overnight:

• Wipe away sweat and surface debris
• Check wax guards and earpieces for buildup
• Look over charging contacts or the battery area
• Store the hearing aids somewhere dry and protected

When Tubing, Domes and Other Small Parts Wear Out

Some hearing aid problems have nothing to do with the electronics. Domes, tubing and retention pieces all wear out from heat, skin oils and everyday movement.

Tubing may become stiff or discolored. A dome might stretch, tear or stop sitting comfortably in the ear. Retention pieces can also bend or shift enough that the hearing aid no longer stays where it should.

Replacing those parts often makes the hearing aid feel noticeably better. Your audiologist can choose the right dome size, replace worn tubing and check whether everything still sits securely without rubbing or creating pressure.

What Causes Hearing Aid Whistling

Whistling usually happens when amplified sound escapes the ear and makes its way back into the hearing aid microphone. The result is the familiar squeal people often call feedback.

Sometimes the problem is simple. A loose dome, worn earmold or buildup of earwax can change how sound moves through the ear. Even a hearing aid that used to fit well can start whistling if something about the fit has changed.

Your audiologist will look at the ear, the fit and the hearing aid before deciding what needs adjusting. That might mean replacing a dome, addressing an earmold problem or recalibrating the hearing aid’s feedback settings. The fix depends on where the sound is escaping.

Checking How Your Hearing Aids Perform in Your Ears

A hearing aid can sound fine through clinic equipment and still need adjustment once it is sitting in your ear. Ear canals are shaped differently, so the same hearing aid settings do not sound exactly the same for everyone.

Real-ear measurement gives your audiologist a way to check what is actually reaching your eardrum. A thin probe microphone sits in the ear canal alongside the hearing aid while recorded speech plays through a speaker.

The measurements show whether soft, moderate and louder speech sounds are reaching the levels intended for your hearing loss. If something is coming through too softly or too strongly, your audiologist can adjust the programming and measure it again.

Keeping Hearing Aid Software Up to Date

Modern hearing aids rely on software for features such as noise management, Bluetooth connections and streaming. Manufacturers sometimes release firmware updates to fix problems or keep certain features working properly.

Not every hearing aid needs frequent updates, and an update does not automatically improve the sound. Your audiologist can check whether one is available and whether it applies to the issue you are having.

This becomes especially useful when a phone connection suddenly becomes unreliable after an operating system update. The problem might involve the hearing aid, the app or the phone itself, so your audiologist can work through the connection instead of guessing.

When Your Hearing Aid Has to Be Sent Out

Your audiologist can fix a lot of problems right there in the office. Some go deeper, though, and need to be handled by the company that made your hearing aid. It may need to go out if the receiver quits, something inside is damaged or it won’t hold a charge anymore. Moisture that’s gotten deep inside can also be more than a cleaning will fix.

Before anything gets shipped off, your audiologist will tell you what they found. They’ll also walk you through what the repair involves, whether your warranty covers it and what to expect when it comes back.

Deciding Between a Repair and a New Hearing Aid

Fixing an older hearing aid isn’t always the right call. If it keeps breaking, you can end up spending more time and money on repairs than it’s really giving you back. Most hearing aids last somewhere around four to six years, depending on how well they’re cared for and how much you wear them.

How old it is plays a part, but so does how often it’s been in the shop. Manufacturers eventually stop making parts for older models, so a repair that was simple a few years ago may not be possible now.

The battery may not last through the day like it used to, and the warranty may have run out. Your hearing may have changed too, and an older device might not have enough range to keep up.

Your audiologist can help you sort through all of that. Sometimes one more repair is the smart move, and sometimes it makes more sense to replace it. The choice is yours, and you’ll have what you need to make it.

Keeping Your Hearing Aids in Good Working Order

A quick clinic check now and then helps catch wear, buildup or small performance issues before they become bigger problems. Sometimes people notice the difference as soon as the hearing aids are cleaned or adjusted, even if they had slowly gotten used to the change.

At Physicians Hearing Center in Dothan, Alabama, we can clean, check and update your hearing aids during a routine visit.

We’ll also let you know how often to come back based on how you use them. Harvest dust will keep coming every fall, but it doesn’t have to keep you from hearing clearly. Call us at (334) 441-4090 to schedule a maintenance visit.