FYE – Hearing Aid Frequently Asked Questions?

To turn the hearing aid on, close the battery door.

To turn the hearing aid off, open the battery door. It is not necessary, but not harmful, to remove the battery completely from the hearing aid.

The squealing that you or those around you hear is called feedback. Feedback may occur because something has changed with the way the hearing aid fits in your ear. This can be because your hearing aids need to be cleaned, your ears have accumulated debris in the canal, or your ears have grown (your ears continue to grow as you age).

If you are experiencing feedback, try cleaning your hearing aids and your ears themselves. If that does not stop the feedback, call us.

Hearing aid batteries have a positive and negative side, just like any other battery. Generally, there will be a red (+) sign on the battery door indicating the positive side should be up. The positive side of a hearing aid battery is flat and has a (+) sign on it.

What do I do with the batteries when I’m done with them?
We recommend recycling them, keeping all battery waste separate from other recyclables. This can be done at most electronics stores.

Is it OK for me to sleep in my hearing aids?
When going to bed for the night, you should remove your hearing aids and open the battery door to help conserve battery life.

Opening the battery door at night does two important things:

  1. It ensures that the battery is not being drained, allowing for more economical use of your hearing aid.
  2. It allows air into the hearing aid, which is helpful in preventing moisture build-up.

Store the hearing aids in the provided case or another hard-shell case that closes to ensure they are properly protected and easy to locate.

Even with the water-resistance capabilities of modern hearing aids, we recommend you remove your hearing aids prior to any aquatic activity, unless they are waterproof hearing aids or water-resistant hearing aids.

A simple cloth or tissue can be used to wipe down the hearing aids. A brush can be used to help remove more stubborn or stuck debris if necessary. Refer to the User Guide that came with your hearing aid for more details.

Use thin wire or the cleaning brush that comes with your hearing aid to clear the vent. If using a thin wire, insert it into one end, and push it through until it comes out the other end. Be sure to wipe off any debris with a cloth or tissue before removing the wire from the vent.

Cleaning your hearing aids more frequently will help keep them in the best condition possible. Cleaning them once every morning before you put them on is generally a good practice.

More Info

If there is a button on the back of your hearing aid, it is there to select between different listening programs or environments.

The average hearing aid lasts between 3 – 5 years. You can buy an extended warranty from Earserv or other hearing aid warranty providers.

The beeps can mean a variety of things. Beeps can indicate that a battery is getting low, that the hearing aid program is changing (when you push the program button), or when there are changes to the volume.

If you are unsure of what the different beeps mean, check with your hearing care provider for more information on specific beeps, or refer to the User Guide that came with your hearing aid.

It is possible to hear a whistle while putting on a hearing aid. It should not, however, whistle when it is in place in your ear. If it does, make an appointment to have your hearing aid checked.

There are a couple of things to check before making an appointment with your hearing care provider.

  1. Replace the battery
  2. Make sure the battery door is closed fully.
  3. Make sure the volume is turned up to 100%
  4. Check that the battery positive(+) and negative(-) sides are in the correct orientation.
  5. Clean off any debris from the hearing aid.
  6. Replace the wax filter, if applicable.
  7. For behind-the-ear or receiver-in-canal hearing aids, clean the earmold (or if equipped with replace the dome and/or the wax filter behind it).
  8. For open fit BTE’s, replace or clean the tube.

If these steps don’t work call us.

Your hearing aids will be marked red and blue. Red will always be for the right ear. The blue will be for the left ear.

No, it should not. Many people wear both hearing aids and glasses. Make sure that when you remove your glasses that you use both hands, one on each bow by your temple, and pull them straight forward. Avoid pulling your glasses roughly off to one side – this may cause the hearing aid on the opposite side to become dislodged.

If you have a rotary wheel, roll it towards the top of your head to increase the volume. If you roll the wheel toward your shoulders, this will turn the volume down.
If you have buttons on your hearing aid, the top button will turn up the volume and the bottom button will decrease the volume.

Over time, the tubing that connects the earmold to the hearing aid will need to be changed. When the tubing becomes rigid or discolored, visit your hearing care provider for a tube change.

That is the wax filter It is also referred to as an Ear Dome. It is there to prevent wax from getting into the delicate components of your hearing aid. When this becomes clogged with wax or other debris, you will need to change this to ensure your hearing aid stays in good working order.

It varies depending on how much wax your ear produces. Estimates range from once per week, to once every few months. Inspect the wax filter frequently, and change when wax or other debris becomes noticeable.

That is the vent. The vent allows for some sounds to enter your ear naturally as well as provide ventilation for your ear canal. Natural ventilation is important because it prevents the ‘plugged up’ or occluded sensation you would get if your ear was completely closed off with the hearing aid.

Yes, the O-Caps and T-Caps used by our Bliss and Charm custom styles are easy to replace by either the hearing aid wearer or the hearing care provider. Replacement caps can be ordered from your Sonic provider.

Some hearing aids have a retrieval cord to assist you with the removal of your hearing aids. When the hearing aid is in your ear, grasp the line firmly and pull to remove your hearing aid.

Rotate the volume control wheel forward/towards your face (when worn) to increase volume; rotate the wheel backward/away from your face to decrease volume.

*If you have a question that isn’t listed here, please give us a call at 1-877-577-(HEAR)4327