Healthy Hearing Series: Part Four

Successful Life with Hearing Aids Requires Frequent Follow Up & Adjustments

As crucial as your audiologist is, YOU are the key to successful living with hearing aids.

You will need to clean them — yes, daily.

You will need to call your audiologist when something isn’t quite right — take advantage of this valuable service that comes with your hearing aid purchase. The exception to this is if you purchased hearing aids using certain types of insurance — medicare especially — they often require a copay.

You will need to take the time to follow up even if everything is going great — let’s make sure your investment is well maintained, serviced, and programmed to meet your needs. After all, things change, including your hearing; remember, hearing aids aren’t a cure; they’re simply an aid to counteract your hearing loss.

But most importantly, you must use your hearing aids!

Overwhelmed?

Don’t be! It’s really not difficult, nor is it time-consuming, and the benefits are most definitely worth it. And... I’m about to talk you through every step of the process.

But first, if you’ve been reading this series and still haven’t scheduled an appointment with an audiologist, take a moment to do it now. Better yet, send me an email or give me a call.

Whatever you do, just don’t wait another moment to start your journey to healthy hearing — it can be a life-changing, not to mention a life-giving experience!

Using hearing aids requires training…

For YOU

Not just physical training, though that is important (of course, for physical activity be sure to follow the guidelines of your primary care doc). But seriously, it’ll take getting used to using and maintaining them. And the training isn’t just for you. Involving family members or a caregiver from the get-go — or at least the initial training of how to use them, troubleshooting, and maintenance - is incredibly beneficial as they can be your first line of assistance.

Don’t worry, if they can’t be there in person, I can help you get them on video conference and give them instructional video downloads.

And Your BRAIN

As you lose your hearing, whether gradually or not, your brain changes and, in a sense, loses its ‘natural’ ability to listen and make sense of sounds. So, when you begin amplifying sound through the use of hearing aids, it’s like a workout for your brain to get back into listening shape. We call it aural rehabilitation.

The good news is that our brains are remarkable, and so long as you USE your hearing aids, it will do the rest of the work for you!

But as your brain gets into better shape after using your hearing aids for a while, it may be ready for more, which means we need to adjust the settings over time.

On the flip side, while your brain may improve, it’s important to remember that hearing aids don’t fix your hearing loss. So as your hearing changes, we will also need to do follow-up hearing tests — ideally, we should retest your hearing every couple of years as hearing loss can be much like a frog in boiling water.

And Lord knows we don’t want to lose any progress you’ve made in your hearing health journey!

Consistency is key when it comes to the daily maintenance and care for your hearing aids.

Here’s a checklist of what you should do daily to keep your hearing aids in tip-top shape:

Clean Your Hearing Aids with a Dry Cloth

Moisture, even just that found in the air, is enemy number one when it comes to damaging the inner workings of your hearing aids.

Check for Earwax and other Debris at the Earmold Opening

Earwax, pocket lint, dust, you name it, if it’s small enough to get into the opening of your hearing aid, odds are it will. Your job is to check it every morning and keep it as clear as possible. We’ll teach you how to change your wax guards for when there’s too much gunk built up — it happens, so don’t be embarrassed when it happens to you.

Check Your Hearing Aid Battery

Keeping your batteries charged or replaced, depending on your specific hearing aid, will provide you the best hearing experience.

BEFORE you attempt to adjust your hearing aid, check your battery; otherwise, you’re likely to end up in a downward spiral of frustration with your hearing aids’ performance.

Turn Off Your Hearing Aids when Not In Use

Save your battery, turn off your hearing aids if you’re not using them, whether at night or during the day.

Store Your Hearing Aids Correctly at Night (This includes opening the battery door).

Use your hearing aid case or dry-aid kit to store them overnight.

Again, the goal here is to reduce exposure to moisture.

Wipe them down with a dry cloth.
Open the battery cover to let it air out (If your style of hearing aids has a cover, some don’t).
Keep your hearing aids stored in a cool, dry place every night, either in the case they came in, your charger or an ‘aftermarket’ purchased dry-aid kit.

These next items should be done as needed:

Change the Battery

Believe it or not, this is also one of the most common reasons patients call their audiologist concerned that their hearing aid has broken. So, when in doubt, change the battery!

Wash the Earmold

NO WAIT… don’t do that... don’t apply any liquid… not before asking your audiologist for instructions! They will walk you through the safe and effective procedure specific to your model.

But, this is the other most common cause for your hearing aids not working right. Even though you check the earmold opening daily and clean out any wax or debris, anything left behind can cause build-up that’ll negatively impact your hearing aid’s effectiveness. In this case, a more thorough cleaning is required, which you may or may not be able or comfortable doing.

Check for Moisture

If you think there may be excessive moisture buildup on your hearing aids throughout the day, take a moment to wipe them down with a dry cloth. Especially in the ‘sweaty’ or rainy seasons, using a drying kit may be essential to keep your hearing aids alive and well.

Replace the Earmold

If your hearing aids used to be the perfect fit but have started feeling less comfortable or have started squealing (we call this ‘feedback’), it may be time to replace the ear mold. Your ears change size and shape as you age — the smallest changes can make a big difference.

Replace the Hearing Aid

I know, not what anyone wants to hear but keep in mind that most hearing aid warranties are three years for a reason. The parts will wear, and eventually fixing the hearing aid over and over will be more expensive than changing them out for a new pair. Also, the technology will become outdated (or more likely new technology will offer you something you want), and lastly, but most assuredly (sorry to say), your hearing is constantly changing.

Don’t feel silly asking questions. Just keep asking until you understand. I assure you, you won’t be the first to ask the same question more than once, or even twice — you’ll hear no judgments from me!

Adjustments and Follow-Up Appointments

Ideally, we should check-in every two or three months for a quick check-up, even if everything seems to be going great.

Why?

Well, bottom line, you don’t know what you don’t know, right?! That’s why you have us, your trusted audiologist. Assessing how well your hearing aids are working is our wheelhouse. Not to mention, it’s what you’ve already enlisted us to do — and paid for, mind you!

And remember, getting the best deal upfront doesn’t necessarily equate to a good deal! Every detail is as important as the next when seeking help for your hearing health. And selecting the right audiologist for you, your budget, and your expectations sets the tone for your hearing health success.

Alright, that’s a wrap on the Hearing Health Series! I hope you’ve been inspired to begin your journey back to good hearing health… or take it to the next level now that you know more.

So… all that’s left is to ask you one simple question…

Are you happy with your hearing health?

If the answer is anything but “YES” then we should talk! Email me or just give me a call, I’m hear for you ;)