Hearing aids are best worn consistently, which means that they work HARD! They function upwards of 12 hours a day, in a sea of earwax, head moisture and body heat. Sometimes, they are worn in the midst of hairspray, gels and mousses, are handled with hands that have not been washed, are thrown into a pocket, or left on a bedside table, becoming the crunchy treat of someone’s beloved pet! (Do check out our troubleshooting guide, here). We see broken hearing aids all the time. Having a reliable device is extremely important and patients tell us that they have an immediate drop in confidence when their hearing aids stop working. We need to trust what we hear!
NB Hearing can repair or replace certain modular parts of a hearing aid on site. The coupling to the ear (mold, tube, wire, or dome) is sometimes easily rectified. But any hearing aid internal electronics should be repaired by the original manufacturer- and we send it there for you. While under warrantee, this is usually a no-cost process (other than courier and insurance) and the devices are returned within about 4 days. When out of warrantee, repairs may be handled differently by different manufacturers. Be sure to ask our audiologists about yours, as the repair process may be a “swap out” of reconditioned circuits with some, or a specific part by part repair, by others.
When your device starts to spend more time in the lab than on your ear, it may be worth considering an upgrade or replacement. Hearing loss needs to be managed by clear sound, which can be affected by a deteriorating circuit. One also needs to consider doing this before the device becomes obsolete, so that the change over is done without time pressure. Chat to our audiologists for transparent, empowering information about your hearing loss and device options. We will be glad to ethically guide you towards your hearing solutions.
– By Natalie Buttress