Why your hearing aid “stopped working” (wax guards)

Did your hearing aid suddenly stop working?

If your hearing aid suddenly stopped working… there’s a really good chance it’s not broken. Hi, I’m Chuck Smith, owner of Affordable Hearing. This is one of the most common calls we get. “my hearing aid just stopped working. Can you help?” And a lot of times? It’s not the hearing aid. It’s something small… called a wax guard. You might also hear it called a wax filter or wax trap. And here’s what it does… It sits right at the tip of your hearing aid— the exact spot where sound comes out. Its job is simple: Protect the hearing aid from earwax. Because earwax… is the number one enemy of hearing aids. Now here’s what happens… That wax guard does its job… and over time, it fills up. And when it gets plugged? Sound can’t get through. So it feels like your hearing aid just stopped working. No sound… or very weak sound. And most people immediately think… “I need a repair.” But a lot of times… it just needs a new wax guard. We see this all the time in our Rochester, Logansport, and Lafayette offices. It’s one of the simplest fixes—but also one of the most overlooked. Now here’s something else to be aware of… If you change that wax guard… and then put the hearing aid right back into your ear… But there’s still wax sitting in the walls of your ear canal? You can plug that brand new filter immediately. So now it feels like it didn’t fix anything. That’s why both parts matter: A clean wax guard… and a clean ear canal. If your hearing aid “stops working”… don’t panic. Check the wax guard first. At Affordable Hearing, we’ll show you exactly how to change them and make sure everything is working the way it should. Be honest—have you ever thought your hearing aid was broken… and it ended up being something simple? Comment “WAX” if that’s happened to you. #affordablehearing #rochester #logansport #lafayette #hearingloss