You’re having a Zoom call with your granddaughter and you’ve been looking forward to it all week! You’ll have a great time and get caught up with your beloved family members.
But when the call starts, you are horrified to find out, you can’t hear what your loved ones are saying. You’re wearing your hearing aids but you still can’t hear anything.
You’re incredibly disappointed.
Modern marvels muffled
Modern hearing aids are famous for their ability to provide crystal clear sounds. So when that doesn’t occur, that can be very frustrating. Hearing aids are supposed to help you hear better, right? But, lately, every time you’ve used your hearing aids, everything has sounded muffled and distorted (and that’s definitely not an improvement over your regular hearing). The issue might not be the hearing aid at all.
What’s the cause of that muffling?
All right, so, if the hearing aid is functioning correctly, why does everybody sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher? Well, there are a few things you can do to correct the issue.
Earwax
If I had a dime for every problem that earwax has caused (in general, not me personally), I’d be a rich (but still cranky) man. The issue with your hearing aid might be a build-up of earwax against the microphone. Amplification is muffled when earwax obstructs your hearing aid’s ability to pick up sound.
Here are some indications that earwax may be the problem.:
- Visually inspect your hearing aids. Don’t simply put your hearing aid in without taking a good look at it. Clean it completely if you see any earwax.
- Power-up the hearing aid. The problem is likely to be the microphone (probably wax accumulation) and not the speaker if all of the start-up sounds are normal when you power-up the hearing aid.
Alternatively, it’s possible that earwax in your ear rather than on the hearing aid is the issue here. Make sure, in those cases, you safely clean out your ears (cotton swabs are not recommended). If the muffled issue remains after you’ve cleaned up your hearing aid and your ears, you’ll need to keep troubleshooting.
Infection
So, if earwax isn’t the issue, the next likely reason will be an infection. Sometimes, this could be a common ear infection. Sometimes, it could be an inner ear infection. Both are worth making an appointment for an assessment.
Ear infections of several kinds and causes can create swelling in your ear canal or middle ear. Your hearing will then sound muffled as this inflammation blocks the transmission of sound. Treatments may include some antibiotics. Once the infection has cleared, your hearing should return to normal.
Batteries
It’s also very possible that your hearing aid batteries are in need to be charged. Hearing aids can sound muffled when the batteries are drained so be sure to check for that. Even if you have rechargeable batteries this can still be true. It’s possible, in many situations, that your hearing aids will be crystal clear again after you change the batteries with fresh ones.
Hearing loss
It might also be possible that your hearing loss has changed and your hearing aids need to be adjusted to compensate for that. If you haven’t had a hearing exam in the last year or so, think about making an appointment. While you’re here getting your hearing aid adjusted we can also do an inspection and cleaning.
Don’t let it linger
It’s definitely a smart idea to come see us for a consultation if you’ve tried all this and your hearing aid is still muffled. You might find yourself putting your hearing aids in a drawer and cranking your TV up again if you don’t eliminate this muffling issue. And all of that could start causing hearing damage again.
Letting it linger is not a smart plan. Schedule an appointment with us so you can get back to hearing before that big family event. You’ll enjoy yourself more if you can actually hear what they’re saying!