Daily Hearing Aid Maintenance: Simple Steps for Longevity

Daily care is the cornerstone of ensuring your hearing aids remain in top condition. Just like how we brush our teeth every day, making hearing aid maintenance part of your routine can extend the life of your devices and ensure optimal performance.

Visual Inspection and Cleaning

At the end of the day , take a few minutes to visually inspect your hearing aids for any signs of damage, dirt, or earwax buildup. Pay close attention to the microphone area, receiver openings, and any crevices or grooves where debris can accumulate. If you see any dirt or earwax, use the soft brush or wax filters provided in your hearing aid care kit to gently remove it. Remember, avoid using any liquids or sharp objects that could damage the delicate components.

Wiping Down with a Soft Cloth

In addition to removing visible debris, it’s important to wipe down your hearing aids daily with a soft, dry cloth. This will help remove any oils, perspiration, or other residues that can accumulate throughout the day. Microfibre cloths are ideal for this purpose as they won’t leave behind any lint or fibres. Never use water, cleaning solutions, alcohol, or other harsh chemicals, as these can damage the delicate components of your hearing aids.

Overnight Drying and Storage

Proper storage plays a crucial role in maintaining the longevity of your hearing aids. When you’re not wearing them, store your hearing aids in a cool, dry place, preferably with the battery door open. This allows any moisture inside the battery compartment to evaporate and prevents corrosion. Consider investing in a hearing aid drying kit or dehumidifier for extra protection against moisture damage, especially in humid climates.

Troubleshooting Your Hearing Aids: Common Issues and Solutions

Even with the best care, you might occasionally encounter issues with your hearing aids. Understanding these common problems and their solutions can help you troubleshoot effectively and know when it’s time to consult your audiologist or hearing care consultants.

Feedback (Whistling)

If you hear a high-pitched whistling sound, don’t panic! This is known as feedback and it’s often easily remedied. Feedback typically occurs when amplified sound leaks out of your ear canal and is picked up again by the hearing aid’s microphone. This creates a feedback loop, resulting in the whistling sound. Check for a loose fit of your hearing aid or ear mould, as this is the most frequent cause. A buildup of earwax could also be to blame, so thoroughly clean your ears and the device itself. In some cases, lowering the volume might temporarily resolve the feedback. However, if it persists, contact your audiologist or hearing care consultant, as it could indicate a more complex issue that needs professional attention.

Reduced Sound Quality

If the sound seems muffled, distorted, or weaker than usual, there are several potential causes. First, inspect the microphone and receiver ports for any blockages or obstructions, and clean them gently with the appropriate tools. Make sure your ear moulds or domes are also clean and free of earwax. If your hearing aids have wax filters, check if they need replacing. If these simple checks don’t resolve the issue, it’s best to consult your audiologist or hearing care consultant, as the problem could stem from a technical issue or require adjustments to the hearing aid’s settings.

Discomfort

When you first start wearing hearing aids, a slight feeling of discomfort isn’t unusual as your ears adjust. However, persistent pain or discomfort should never be ignored. It could be a sign that your ear mould doesn’t fit properly, the hearing aid is not positioned correctly, or that there might be an underlying medical issue. If you experience persistent discomfort, contact your audiologist or hearing care consultant promptly. They can assess the fit, make necessary adjustments, or recommend alternative ear mould styles for optimal comfort.

Professional Hearing Aid Maintenance: Tune-Ups for Peak Performance

Just like a car needs regular servicing to keep running smoothly, professional hearing aid fine-tuning is essential for optimal performance and longevity. While your daily cleaning routine is crucial, it’s equally important to schedule professional tune-ups with your audiologist or hearing care consultant from time to time.

Scheduling regular appointments with The Hearing Solution Group is a proactive way to ensure your hearing aids are functioning optimally. During these checkups, our audiologists and hearing care consultants will perform a thorough inspection of your devices, checking for any signs of wear and tear, loose connections, or potential damage.

They’ll also service your hearing aids using specialised techniques, removing debris and wax buildup in hard-to-reach areas that you may not be able to access with your at-home hearing aid care kit. Early detection of any issues can prevent them from escalating into more significant problems, saving you time, money, and frustration in the long run.

Plus, hearing loss can change over time, and your lifestyle and listening environments can also evolve. During your professional maintenance appointments, our audiologists and hearing care consultants will reassess your hearing needs and make adjustments to your hearing aid programming if necessary. This ensures that your devices are always optimised for your current hearing loss and provide the clearest, most comfortable sound possible.

Preventing Hearing Aid Damage: Safeguarding Your Investment

Just a few preventive measures can go a long way in safeguarding your devices from damage and ensuring they continue to provide you with crystal-clear sound:

Keeping Your Hearing Aids Dry

Moisture is a common enemy of hearing aids, as it can corrode the internal components and cause malfunctions. To protect your devices, always remove them before showering, swimming, or participating in any water-related activities. If your hearing aids do get wet accidentally, dry them thoroughly with a soft cloth and use a hearing aid drying kit or dehumidifier to eliminate any lingering moisture.

Avoiding Extreme Temperatures

Extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold, can damage the delicate components of your hearing aids. Never leave your hearing aids in direct sunlight, in a hot car, or near a heater. Similarly, avoid exposing them to freezing temperatures. When storing your hearing aids, choose a cool, dry place away from any heat sources.

Gentle Handling and Safe Storage

Hearing aids are small and intricate devices, so it’s important to handle them with care. Always hold them over a soft surface, such as a carpeted floor or towel, in case they slip from your grasp. When not in use, store your hearing aids in their protective case. This not only prevents them from getting lost but also protects them from accidental bumps and falls.

The Hearing Solution Group’s Comprehensive Hearing Aid Care

Proper hearing aid care ensures you receive the optimal benefit from your investment. By incorporating daily maintenance, seeking professional checkups, and taking precautions against damage, you’ll enjoy clear, comfortable hearing for years to come.

We at The Hearing Solution Group are also committed to ensuring your hearing aids provide years of clear and comfortable hearing. We offer:

• Expert Repairs and Adjustments: If you encounter issues, our experienced audiologists or hearing care consultants can diagnose and repair any problems.
• Replacement Parts and Accessories: We stock a wide range of replacement parts and accessories, including batteries, wax filters, and cleaning supplies.
• Personalised Guidance: We provide individualised advice on the best hearing aid care practices for your specific devices and lifestyle.

Discover our full range of hearing aids in Singapore today.

1. Improved relationships

Hearing is an important part of communicating in person or over the phone. Not being able to hear during conversations can lead to feelings of loneliness, isolation, depression, and more. In contrast, being able to hear allows you to stay engaged during social events and participate in activities that others are doing. If you suffer from hearing loss, hearing aids can help you bridge the communication gap and keep you sociable. This leads to healthier relationships, a healthier mind, as well as a boost in confidence.

2. Greater independence

If you’re suffering from hearing loss, it is normal for you to become more reliant on those around you as you may need their assistance in paying attention to sounds or communicating with others on your behalf. From alarms to announcements, being able to hear even the most insignificant sounds can make a huge difference to your life.

Hearing aids can help you to hear your surroundings again, reducing your reliance on others. This allows you to reclaim control of your life and navigate around without the assistance of others. Being able to hear also allows you to continue working for job security and financial stability.

3. Reduced tinnitus symptoms

Tinnitus is a condition in which you hear sounds that originate within your body rather than from external sources. The most common sound people with tinnitus experience is a ringing in the ears. Other sounds you may hear include buzzing, humming and/or grinding. Tinnitus might be caused by an issue with the inner ear, which also causes hearing loss. Although not everyone suffering from hearing loss experiences tinnitus, some may. In this case, patients experiencing tinnitus may be referred to do a hearing test to determine whether they have hearing loss. If yes, having hearing aids help to provide relief as the amplification provided by the hearing aids can mask out tinnitus symptoms.

4. Prevent cognitive decline

When you suffer from hearing loss, the part of your brain that processes what you hear is deprived of sound; this is also referred to as auditory deprivation. This lack of auditory stimulation can weaken your auditory cortex and lead to cognitive decline over time. This is because without sound, your auditory cortex does not get to “work” and will start to atrophy. This may also lead to an increased risk of dementia if you do not seek hearing solutions or treatment when you suffer from hearing loss.

Although hearing aids cannot treat hearing loss, it can help to prevent your auditory cortex from losing its function and prevent cognitive decline. Hence, getting hearing aids fitted when necessary is important.

Studies have shown that aside from helping you hear your surroundings, hearing aids can also improve your quality of life and maintain your health. If you notice any signs or symptoms or hearing loss, it would be wise to get a hearing test and have hearing aids fitted.

The Hearing Solution Group is one of the largest hearing centres in Singapore that provides a range of hearing solutions with cutting-edge technology, equipment, and therapy. Contact us today or call us at 63370090 to schedule a hearing test or find out more about our services.

What are some of the common misconceptions that we have about hearing loss and hearing aids? Read on to gain a better understanding.

Hearing loss only happens to older people

Unfortunately, hearing loss does not only affect the elderly. In fact, according to a study conducted by a research team from Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore, more than 16% of youths are at risk of developing noise-induced hearing loss (NHL) because of their listening habits. The World Health Organisation (WHO) also estimates that approximately 1.1 billion young adults worldwide are at risk of developing NHL as a result of their constant exposure to loud recreational noises. Listening to loud music through headphones or attending concerts with loud music can cause hearing damage.

If you speak louder, the hearing impaired can hear you

Speaking louder can sometimes help those with hearing loss hear you better. However, there are different levels of hearing loss that will affect how well a person can hear you if he or she is deaf or hard of hearing. Those with mild hearing loss may be able to hear you clearly if you speak louder and more clearly. On the other hand, those with severe hearing loss may be unable to hear you no matter how loud you speak. It is important to note that hearing aids may distort sounds and make them difficult to hear if you speak too loudly or shout. In order for the hearing aids to work better at amplifying your voice, you should enunciate your words clearly and speak with more clarity to allow the person to hear you better.

Hearing loss can be treated with medicine or surgery

Around 80% of the hearing impaired are suffering from sensorineural hearing loss, which means that the hearing loss lesion is either within the inner ear, or caused by a neurological issue. Of which, “hair cell” (hearing sensor) damage is the most common issue among all of them. No surgical intervention or medication can treat permanently damaged hearing cells. In the case of conductive hearing loss, which is an issue with the outer or middle ear that interferes with sound delivery, medication or surgery may be helpful. Common reasons for this include blockage of your ear canal, a hole in your ear drum, fluid in the space between your eardrum and cochlea, and more.

Hearing aids are not important

Hearing health is vital because it forces our brain’s auditory cortex to process sounds. Over time, hearing loss causes this part of our brain to lose its ability to process sounds and shrink. In addition, the lack of stimulus to our brain may lead to overall deprivation. If left untreated, it may lead to a 50% higher risk of developing dementia as compared to those who have hearing aids fitted. Besides assisting the hearing impaired to continue hearing sounds, hearing aids relieve hearing strain, provide clarity, and provide greater ease in listening environments. They also allow the brain to continue processing sounds normally, thereby keeping the auditory cortex active.

Hearing aids make everything too loud

Analogue hearing aids were difficult to use in the past because they amplified all sounds equally, regardless of frequency or volume. However, digital hearing aids today receive sounds and amplify them based on their frequency, allowing sound to be amplified in the most optimal manner. Technology has also made it possible for the hearing impaired to easily control the settings and volumes of their hearing aids, allowing them to adjust to different situations to help them hear even better.

Understanding what causes hearing loss and how hearing aids can help allows us to better care for our own hearing health and fully embrace those who are hard of hearing. If you or someone you know has hearing loss, it is important that you get a hearing aid fitted as soon as possible.

The Hearing Solutions Group offers a range of hearing solutions in Singapore to help those with hearing loss hear better. Contact us today or call us at 63370090 to learn more about our services!