Troubleshooting: Hearing Aid Issues

Your hearing aid is a technological device with several complex components. From time to time, hearing aid technical faults can occur and may cause the device to malfunction.

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How to Resolve Common Problems

Often, these problems result from improper care and maintenance. Using a cotton bud or wax brush to clean your hearing aids may resolve the problem. If this doesn’t solve your hearing aid issues, you need to troubleshoot.

There are several common hearing aid issues to look for. Each of these issues is a sign that something isn’t quite right with your device:

The hearing aids aren’t as loud as they should be
You have no sound coming from your hearing aids at all
Any sound you can hear is inconsistent or distorted
You can hear a whistling sound

How to Troubleshoot

Troubleshooting requires you to follow several steps, almost like a checklist, to help you determine the specific issue affecting your hearing aids.

Try your hearing aids after each step to see if your troubleshooting solves your hearing aid issues:

1
Check that your hearing aid is turned on.
2
Make sure the volume setting hasn’t slipped above or below your preferred setting.
3
Check that the battery is inserted correctly. This involves ensuring it isn’t loose, upside down, or depleted. Also try changing the batteries as sometimes one battery is faulty.
4
Visually examine your hearing aids for signs of earwax or other debris. Use a wax brush or cotton bud to wipe debris away.
5
Place your hearing aids next to a dehumidifier overnight to remove excess moisture.
6
Hearing aid issues can occur due to misalignment. Try reinserting your hearing aid to see if that fixes the problem. If not, you may need to have your hearing aids refitted.
7
Earwax may block your ear canals. Don’t attempt to remove impacted wax yourself. Speak to your local GP if you suspect this may be the problem.
8
Your hearing may have changed, which can go unnoticed if you aren’t having regular check-ups. Book a free hearing assessment with the Freedom Hearing team if you’re unsure.

Need Help With Your Hearing Aid?

If you’ve run through all eight troubleshooting steps and can’t find the cause of your hearing aid issues, you may need help from professionals.

The expert team at Freedom Hearing may be able to fix the issue on the same day you contact us.

Alternatively, we’ll help you to arrange a repair for your hearing aids.

Get in touch

Schedule an appointment at your local Freedom Hearing clinic by calling
1300 689 085

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Troubleshooting FAQs

How do I get rid of hearing aid echo?

There are a few things you can try to get rid of echo when using a hearing aid:

Adjust the volume: Lowering the volume of the hearing aid can help reduce echo.
Change the listening environment: Echo is often caused by sound reflecting off hard surfaces. Moving to a different location or repositioning yourself in a room can help reduce echo.
Use noise-cancelling features: Many hearing aids have noise-cancelling features that can help reduce echo.
Check for feedback: Echo can sometimes be caused by feedback, which is a high-pitched whistling sound. This can happen if the hearing aid is not properly inserted or if the volume is too high.
Consult with your audiologist: If you are experiencing echo with your hearing aid, it’s a good idea to consult with your audiologist. They can check your hearing aid settings, make sure it is properly fitted, and adjust it to reduce echo.

It’s also important to note that if you’re experiencing echo while on a call, it could be caused by the poor sound quality on the other end of the line, and it’s recommended to ask the person on the other end to move to a quieter location or to use a headset to improve the call quality.

What causes hearing aid interference?

Hearing aid interference can be caused by a variety of factors, including electromagnetic interference from sources such as cell phones, televisions, and computers, as well as RF interference from wireless devices like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Other potential sources of interference include electronic devices worn near the hearing aids, such as pacemakers, and the presence of certain types of metal, such as aluminium or steel. Additionally, feedback can occur when the microphone on a hearing aid picks up the amplified sound coming out of the speaker, which can cause a whistling sound.