You’re having a Zoom call with your granddaughter and you’ve been waiting for it all week! You’ll be able to catch up, check-in, and, have a laugh.
But when you get online you notice, to your sadness and disappointment, that you can’t hear very well. You’re wearing your hearing aids but you still can’t hear anything.
You can’t believe how disappointed you are.
Modern marvels muffled
Modern hearing aids are celebrated for their ability to produce crystal clear sounds. So it can be really, really aggravating when that doesn’t occur. Hearing aids are meant 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 hearing aid itself might not even be the problem.
Why do my hearing aids sound muffled?
So why do voices sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher if your hearing aids are functioning properly? Well, there are a couple of things you can do to try to fix the issue.
Earwax
If I had a dime for every issue that earwax has caused (in general, not me personally), I’d be a rich (but still cranky) man. The problem 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 detect sound.
Here are some indications that earwax could be the problem.:
- Doing a visual inspection. 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 issue 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.
Conversely, it’s possible that earwax in your ear rather than on the hearing aid is the problem here. In those instances, be certain to clean out your ears in a safe way (a cotton swab, by the way, is not a safe way). If the muffled issue persists after you’ve cleaned up your hearing aid and your ears, you’ll have to continue 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. Or it may be an inner ear infection. In both cases, a hearing assessment is suggested.
Ear infections of various kinds and causes can generate swelling in your ear canal or middle ear. This swelling blocks the transmission of sound and, therefore, the sound you’re hearing is muffled. Normally, antibiotics will clear this kind of infection up. Once the infection has cleared, your hearing should go back to normal.
Batteries
You just need to replace your battery. Hearing aids can sound muffled when the batteries get low so be sure to watch for that. Even if your hearing aids are rechargeable this can still be true. Sometimes, changing the batteries with fresh ones can make your hearing aids sound crystal clear again.
Hearing loss
If you’re still having trouble hearing, don’t discount the possibility that your hearing loss has changed. Think about scheduling an appointment for a hearing test if you haven’t had one in the past year. While you’re here having your hearing aid adjusted we can also do an inspection and cleaning.
Don’t let it linger
If you try all this troubleshooting and your hearing is still muffled, it’s definitely worth taking some time to come in for a consultation. You might find yourself putting your hearing aids in a drawer and cranking your TV up again if you don’t eliminate this muffling problem. And all of that could begin renewed hearing damage.
So, don’t let it linger. If you are unable to clear out some earwax and get hearing again, schedule a hearing test with us today and get everything taken care of before your next family event. If you can actually hear what everyone is saying you’ll you’ll have a lot more fun.