Who is the leaflet for? What is its aim?
This guide is written for patients who have recently been fitted with new hearing aid(s) by the Addenbrooke’s Audiology department. It aims to guide you through some of the key aspects of how to use and maintain your hearing aid(s), as well as listing the additional services the department and its partners provide.
Further information is available at: Audiology
What happens next?
- When you have been fitted with your hearing aid(s). This may take a few months.
- Try and build up usage, wearing them consistently every day, increasing the amount of time worn and the type of situation you are wearing them in. For example, begin wearing them in quiet environments at home where you can control the noise level, and build up to noisier situations such as social events.
- It is also important to allow your ear to get used to wearing the earmould.
- Sounds such as your own voice may seem different from how you have been used to hearing them, such as your own voice. This will improve with time as you become more acclimatised to the hearing aids, but if this is still a problem after a few weeks then speak to your audiologist.
- Familiarise yourself with the leaflets given to you at your appointment, ensuring you know how the controls work on your hearing aid(s) and practise inserting and removing the hearing aids. This may feel awkward at first, but keep practising and speak to your audiologist if you continue to have difficulties.
- Explain your communication needs to friends and family members so that they are better able to help you hear as well as possible. The “Communication tactics” section of this leaflet provides some handy tips.
- A follow up appointment to see how you are getting on with your hearing aid(s) will be arranged as appropriate. Please contact the department if needed.
Using your hearing aid(s)
We recommend you read the instruction booklet provided for your hearing aid(s) as it contains important information about the care and controls specific to your hearing aid(s).
For more information on how to use your hearing aids please see:
Step 1: Place the hearing aid behind your ear.
Step 2: Gently guide the dome down your ear canal.
(Tip: sometimes it help to widen the ear canal by gently pulling the pinna back at the same time)
The tube should lie flat against the side of the head.
Problem |
Possible Cause |
Solution |
---|---|---|
No sound or reduced sound |
Possible Cause Flat battery or battery incorrectly inserted |
Solution
Ensure the battery is inserted correctly. Your hearing aid instruction leaflet will show you how to do this. Replace the battery |
No sound or reduced sound |
Possible Cause Blocked tube |
Solution
Clean the earpiece, checking for any blockages in the tube (see page 7) |
No sound or reduced sound |
Possible Cause Faulty hearing aid(s) |
Solution Book an repair appointment |
Whistling (feedback) |
Possible Cause Earpiece inserted incorrectly |
Solution
Check that the earpiece is correctly fitted in the ear (See page 4 for instructions). Contact audiology if you are struggling with this. |
Whistling (feedback) |
Possible Cause Wax in ear |
Solution
See your GP practice to have your ears checked |
Whistling (feedback) |
Possible Cause Poorly fitting earpiece |
Solution A different size dome or a custom earmould may be required. Request a repair appointment for an audiologist to check this for you. |
Hearing Aid(s) Accessories
There are a number of accessories you can purchase to help with the maintenance of your hearing aid(s). A few commonly used ones are listed below:
Earmould Puffer
Useful for drying out condensation in the earmould and attached tubing.
Tubing Threader
Allows anyone to rethread the tubing in an earmould.
Wax Tool
A multi-purpose tool which includes a brush, wire loop and a magnet. Useful to help clean the earmould. The magnet can be used to help with fitting and removal of batteries.
Drying Kits
Because hearing aid(s) are worn on the body, they absorb moisture internally which can sometimes cause damage them. Drying out the hearing aid(s) overnight will improve their reliability and help extend their life.
Maintenance Pack
A Hearing Aid Care Kit, supplied in a resealable pouch, with
- a guide to hearing aid care
- an earmould puffer
- pre-bent tubes
- an earmould threader
- an oto-fresh wax brush with magnet and loop
- a stetoclip hearing aid listener complete with a variable attenuator
- cleaning wipes
All these items can be purchased from:
Connevans
www.deafequipment.co.uk
Telephone: 01737 247571
Fax: 01737 223475
Text/Mini-com: 01737 644016
Email: info@connevans.com
We are smoke-free
Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the hospital campus. For advice and support in quitting, contact your GP or the free NHS stop smoking helpline on 0800 169 0 169.
Other formats
Help accessing this information in other formats is available. To find out more about the services we provide, please visit our patient information help page (see link below) or telephone 01223 256998. www.cuh.nhs.uk/contact-us/accessible-information/
Contact us
Cambridge University Hospitals
NHS Foundation Trust
Hills Road, Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
Telephone +44 (0)1223 245151
https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/contact-us/contact-enquiries/