HearFlorida Audiology Group » hearing healthcare professionals

Avoiding Hearing Aid Malfunctions

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:28:30 +0000

Statistically, hearing impaired patients replace their hearing aids about every four years. Additionally, during that four-year period, your hearing aid may have to go back to the manufacturer for repair at least three to five times. The hearing care professionals at Hear Florida offer some tips to help you avoid hearing aid malfunctions.

The most common cause of hearing aid breakdown is wax build up in the receiver port. Those metal picks that your hearing aid dispenser provides you with (for cleaning purposes) are problematic. In my opinion, you should clean your hearing aid with a soft toothbrush while holding the receiver port of your hearing aid down towards the floor so the wax will not fall back into your hearing aid.

The second most common cause of hearing aid breakdown is moisture build up, which can cause your hearing aid to work intermittently. In this case, a dry aid kit is very useful in removing moisture from your hearing instrument particularly during the more humid summer months.

A third reason for hearing aid malfunction is that most patients do not receive routine follow-up services. Hearing aid users should return to their hearing aid dispenser at either three-month or six-month intervals for cleaning and adjustment of their hearing aid instruments. Just like your car needs an oil change every 3,000 miles, your hearing aid needs to be checked at least twice a year by your hearing healthcare professional.

In summary, if you follow these steps, you will increase the life of your hearing aid:

Clean your hearing aid every day with a soft toothbrush.
Open the battery door at night to prolong the life of your battery.
Ask your hearing health-care professional for a dry aid kit to alleviate moisture build up in your hearing aid.
Schedule routine follow-up visits with your hearing healthcare professional at least two or three times per year.
Routinely have your ears cleaned or checked by either your family physician or ear, nose and throat doctor.

Why Does Your Hearing Aid Only Last About 4.5 Years?

admin — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:07:36 +0000

You should be wearing your hearing aid(s) at least eight hours per day or 2,800 hours per year. Even if you clean your hearing aid every day with a soft toothbrush and visit your hearing healthcare professional twice a year for specialized cleanings, your hearing aid will eventually break down. Repair costs could be as high as $350. A hearing aid may stop working because of (1) wax and debris in the receiver, (2) damaged microphone or amplifier, (3) worn out battery contacts, (4) dead battery, (5) moisture, or (6) abuse. The daily wear and tear will erode the hearing aid components and they may need replacement. After four or five years of daily hearing aid use (10,000 hours), it may be time replace your hearing instrument with a more advanced system.

HearFlorida recommends that you consider replacing your hearing instrument if it is greater than four years old, particularly if you have put money into repairing it. Just like an older car that needs repair, it is never quite the same once the mechanic says, “It is fixed.” With the speed of the introduction of new technology, at this time you will be two generations behind in the latest advancements. Most people notice tremendous improvements in hearing ability with advancements in technology.

Hearing Aid Advertisements

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:06:15 +0000

Most of you reading this article have already experienced the glut of hearing aid advertisements in your area. It is understandable that you are probably confused about pricing and technology. Most hearing health care professionals attract “potential” hearing aid consumers through newspaper ads, direct mail campaigns, telephone telemarketing or “word of mouth” referrals from satisfied patients. In my opinion, hearing healthcare professionals should be promoting quality of service and education as opposed to focusing on “product.”

The confusion begins with large magazines promoting “cheap” non-prescriptive amplification devices costing as little as $9.99. Would you buy eyeglasses without a prescription from your doctor? The confusion extends into direct mail pieces advertising digital hearing aids at 50 percent off the manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP). The MSRP means nothing except for an inflated price point! Deep discounts should make you suspicious of the hearing healthcare professional since they are promoting product and price instead of quality service and education.

For those of you on a fixed budget, you will come across a variety of hearing aid advertisements still promoting Class A technology for about $400. You should ask yourself, am I buying ancient technology? The answer is positively “yes”.

In summary, we at HearFlorida feel that your decision to seek hearing help should not be based on certain advertisement gimmicks. Instead, you should find the most qualified hearing healthcare professional that will exceed your listening expectations. Remember, if you need a “hip replacement”, “root canal” or “cataract surgery”, you will chose the most qualified experienced professional. Your hearing should be no different!

Does Your Ear Hurt?

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:44:13 +0000

Comfort is very important when wearing your hearing aid(s). Discomfort occurs 10 percent of the time and usually happens when trying to remove your hearing instrument from your ear. In most cases, in-the-ear hearing aids (ITEs) and ear molds for behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTEs) can create a sore ear (usually towards the top of the aid or ear mold). When this happens, do not continue to wear the instrument. It’s not like breaking in a new pair of shoes! The next step is to contact your hearing health-care professional who can assess the problem. The majority of problems occur due to a “tight fit” and can be resolved by either grinding the mold/aid or remaking the entire hearing instrument or ear mold. Most hearing healthcare professionals can eliminate the problem by grinding and then buffing the problem area. You will be advised to wear the hearing instrument to “test drive” the modification. If this is unsuccessful, you should return to the office and have the aid and/or ear mold remade by the manufacturer. Remind the audiologist/dispenser to mark the area of soreness with a black marker to further reduce the risk of soreness reoccurring. Remember, if your ear hurts don’t try to get use to it. You have invested a lot of time and money towards better hearing. Contact your hearing health-care professional immediately who will fix the problem.