Hearing aids are sturdy little computers, but they live in a warm, waxy, humid environment and work long hours. When they act up, the problem almost always lands in one of three buckets, and each has home fixes worth trying before you worry.
1. No sound at all
The dead-silent hearing aid is usually a power or blockage problem:
- Battery first. Fresh battery (sticker off, wait a few minutes) or a full charge; check that battery contacts are clean and the door closes fully.
- Check it's actually on, buttons get bumped, and volume can be accidentally zeroed.
- Look for blockage. A fully clogged wax guard or sound outlet silences a healthy device. Swap the wax guard and brush the microphone ports.
2. Weak, distorted or crackling sound
The "it works, but badly" category, most often wax or moisture:
- Replace the wax guard and clean domes and tubing (the #1 fix in this entire article)
- A night in a drying case often cures crackling and cutting out, especially in humid months or after sweaty work
- If sound is muffled and your devices are clean, your hearing itself may have shifted, that's a testing and reprogramming conversation, not a repair
3. Whistling and feedback
That squeal is amplified sound leaking out and getting re-amplified:
- Reseat the device, a poor fit is the most common cause
- Check for earwax in your ear; sound bounces off blockages (we can clear that)
- Persistent feedback can mean a worn dome, cracked tubing or a fit that needs adjusting
When home fixes aren't enough
That's what we're for. Many repairs happen right in our office, we service most major manufacturers, including devices you didn't buy from us, and we'll handle manufacturer repairs when needed. Bring them in; most malfunctions are smaller than they sound. Contact us.