TROUBLE SHOOTING OF HEARING AIDS

I. If the audio o/p from the hearing aid is weak

Possible cause Diagnosis Remedy

Weak battery Test battery Replace battery

Dirty battery contacts Visual inspection Clean with eraser

Corroded battery contacts Visual inspection Clean with abrasive paper

Clogged sound bore Visual inspection Clean with loop

Clogged wax-guard Visual inspection Replace wax guard

Clogged damper Output is restored when ear Replace damper

hook removed

Clogged mic inlet port Visual inspection, thump Clean inlet port, replace
audible when the aid is tapped tubing

Inadvertent reprogramming or Check program settings Reprogram

deprogramming

Faulty mic Aid works on telecoil or audio Send to manufacturer

input

Faulty amplifier No other discernable fault Send to manufacturer

II. If there is no audible sound from the hearing aid

Possible cause Diagnosis Remedy

Dead battery Test battery or try a new Replace battery

one

Bent battery contacts Visual inspection Bend contacts carefully or

send to manufacturer

Faulty wiring No other discernable fault Send to manufacturer

III. If the output of the hearing aid is distorted

Possible cause Diagnosis Remedy

Weak battery Test battery or try a new Replace battery

one

OSPL 90 excessively Problem disappears for low Increase OSPL 90, or fit with
decreased input levels or higher compression limiting, WDRC
OSPL90 settings

Dirty battery contacts Noise occurs when battery Clean contacts with eraser.
is moved slightly

Faulty transducer or amplifier No other discernable fault Send to manufacturer

IV. If the output of the hearing aid is noisy

Possible cause Diagnosis Remedy

Faulty volume control Noise increases or Send to manufacturer for

decreases markedly when replacement of component
the control is moved
slightly

Interference from electronic Interference noise is present Avoid the source of

items interference, or upgrade the
hearing aid

Hearing aid is switched to t- Hum disappears and signal Re-instruct user

position reappears when switched to
M position

Dirty battery contacts Noise changes when battery Clean contacts with eraser
or battery compartment is
moved slightly

Faulty transducer No other discernable fault Send to manufacturer

Faulty microphone Noise like radio static Send to manufacturer.

which increases with
increase in gain

V. If there is feedback (BTE/ITE/ITC/CIC)

 Possible cause Diagnosis Remedy

Mold/Shell improperly Visual inspection Re-instruct the insertion

inserted technique

Mold/Shell no longer fits ear Whistling stops when thick Add build-up material to
snugly lubricating jelly smeared over shell or re-make shell
the canal stalk

Venting insert or plug has Visual inspection, compared Insert a new venting plug
fallen out to record of fitting on file

Microphone or earphone has Whistling continues even Return to manufacturer

moved and is touching the when the mic inlet port is for re-attachment
case or other transducer blocked with a finger

Receiver tubing detached Whistling continues even Return to manufacturer

from receiver when the mic inlet port is for re-attachment
blocked with a finger

Receiver tube detached from Visual inspection; Whistling Grip carefully with fine
tip of ear shell continues even when the mic tweezers, reposition, and
inlet port is blocked with a glue
finger

Apart from the above mentioned parameters to adjust there are different fine tuning
options available for each kind of hearing aids. These usually help in solving the problems or
complaints the patient has in the sound quality. E.g., the sound is too loud or muffled etc.

A. LOUDNESS OF SOUNDS

Overall loudness

i) Too soft Increase gain in the entire frequency range

Check if overall gain or only low, average or high levels are

too soft.

If volume control is there check it.

ii) Too loud Reduce gain in the entire frequency range

Check if overall gain or only low, average or high levels are

too soft.

If volume control is there check it.

Low levels (e.g., fan noise, leaves rustling)

i) Too soft Increase gain and compression for entire frequency range.

Check acoustic pathway. If wax is present or not. Is the mic

inlet plugged or damped

ii) Too loud Reduce gain and compression for entire frequency range.

Counsel the patient regarding adjustment to soft sounds

Check level of acclimatization.

High Levels (e.g., party noise)

i) Too soft Increase AGC-O knee-point

Check acoustic pathway. If wax is present or not. Is the mic

inlet plugged or damped

ii) Too loud Reduce AGC-O knee-point

Check level of acclimatization

Low level- high pitch sounds (e.g., birds chirping)

i) Too soft Increase gain and compression for high frequencies.

Check acoustic pathway. If wax is present or not. Is the mic

inlet plugged or damped.

ii) Too loud Reduce gain and compression for high frequencies.

Low level- low pitch sounds (e.g., fridge)

i) Too soft Increase gain and compression for low frequencies.

Check acoustic pathway. If wax is present or not. Is the mic

inlet plugged or damped

ii) Too loud Reduce gain and compression for low frequencies.
High level- high pitch sounds (e.g., dish rattling)

i) Too soft Reduce compression in high frequency range

ii) Too loud Increase compression in high frequency range.

High level- low pitch sounds (e.g., engine noise, door slamming)

i) Too soft Increase gain for loud sounds at low frequency

ii) Too loud Reduce gain for loud sounds at low frequency

Internal noise of hearing aid

i) Too loud Reduce gain for soft sounds for mid and high frequencies.

Reduce gain for soft sounds for high frequencies.

B. FEEDBACK

Depending on how often feedback occurs the following changes can be made:-

Always Reduce high frequency gain

Use feedback manager.

In quite situations Reduce high frequency gain and compression.

Use feedback manager.

On telephone Reduce high frequency gain.

Use feedback manager.

While chewing or talking Reduce gain for all the frequencies and reduce compression
in lower frequencies.

Use feedback manager.

C. INTELLIGIBILITY
Poor speech intelligibility in quite

One to one conversation Increase gain for loud sounds in the mid and high frequency
rage.

Increase gain for all sound levels.

In reverberant conditions Increase gain in high frequency range and reduce gain at low
frequencies.

While watching TV or Increase gain for loud sounds in the mid and high frequency
listening to radio rage.

Increase gain for all sound levels.

While using telephone Increase gain in mid frequency range.

Change position of the phone to maximize loudness.

Poor speech intelligibility in noise

In restaurant Reduce gain for loud sounds at low frequencies and increase
gain at high frequencies

In large groups Reduce gain at low frequencies and increase gain for loud
sounds at high frequencies.

In car, bus or airplane Reduce gain for loud sounds at low frequencies and increase
gain at high frequencies

On street Reduce gain for loud sounds at low frequencies.

D. LOUDNESS OF SPEECH

Overall loudness

i) Too soft Increase gain in the entire frequency range

Check if overall gain or only low, average or high levels are

too soft.

If volume control is there check it.

 ii) Too loud Reduce gain in the entire frequency range

Check if overall gain or only low, average or high levels are

too soft.

If volume control is there check it.

Low levels

i) Too soft Increase gain for soft sounds for entire frequency range.

Check acoustic pathway. If wax is present or not. Is the mic

inlet plugged or damped

ii) Too loud Reduce gain for soft sounds for entire frequency range.

Counsel the patient regarding adjustment to soft sounds

Check level of acclimatization.

Average Levels

i) Too soft Increase AGC-O knee-point

Increase compression ratio for entire frequency range.

Check acoustic pathway. If wax is present or not. Is the mic

inlet plugged or damped

ii) Too loud Reduce AGC-O knee-point and compression ratio for entire
frequency range.

Check level of acclimatization

High levels

i) Too soft Increase gain for loud sounds for entire frequency range.

Increase maximum output.

ii) Too loud Reduce gain for loud sounds for entire frequency range.

Reduce maximum output.

Distant speech
 i) Too soft Increase gain for soft sounds for high frequencies.

Check acoustic pathway. If wax is present or not. Is the mic

inlet plugged or damped

ii) Too loud Reduce gain for soft sounds for high frequencies.

Check level of acclimatization.

Own voice

i) Too soft Increase gain for low frequencies.

ii) Too loud Reduce gain for low frequencies.

Check if vent size can be increased.

E. SOUND QUALITY

Metallic Reduce gain between 1120 – 2800 Hz

Reduce gain above 550 Hz

Muffled Reduce gain below 1400 Hz

Tinny Reduce gain above 700 Hz

Echo effect Reduce gain below 1120 Hz

Reduce compression in the entire frequency range.

Harsh Reduce gain above 1120 Hz

Clear, too much treble Reduce gain above 1120 Hz

Reduce gain above 710 Hz

Hollow Reduce gain between 1120 – 2800 Hz

Reduce gain above 1120 Hz

Cracking / chopping Increase compression for all frequencies.

Reduce gain above 1120 Hz

Sharp Reduce gain above 1400 Hz

Reduce gain for entire frequency range

Shrill / piercing Reduce gain between 1120 – 3500 Hz

Reduce gain above 710 Hz

Hissing Reduce gain above 3500 Hz

Reduce compression for all frequencies.

Booming Reduce gain below 1120 Hz

Reduce gain below 450 Hz

Too much bass Reduce gain below 550 Hz

Nasal Reduce gain above 550 H

Reduce compression for all the frequencies.