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Looking After Your Hearing Aid Tubing
If your hearing aid has an ear mould you are most likely to have a plastic tube that has been cut and tapered to fit securely in your ear mould. At the other end the tube will attach to your hearing aid. This type of tubing will get brittle over time and will need replacing about every 6 months to keep it working efficiently. Moisture can be another element that causes a problem with this type of tubing. If you suffer a lot with perspiration, sweat or moisture build up around your hearing aids, there is a likelyness your hearing aid tubing will block up with moisture. This can be the case as well if there is no air circulation getting into the ear which is normally provided by a vent in the ear mould.
Some tubing are also made with a cut tapered end. This allows for easy application into your ear mould. A hearing aid tube is cut to fit the mould and also cut to measure up neatly to match up with the hearing aid. This allows the hearing aid to sit comfortably behind the ear. If the tubing is cut too short it can feel tight or if it is cut too long the tubing will make the hearing aid sit higher allowing it to move off the ear.
Batteries: How To Change Them And How To Order Replacements
Your hearing aid battery is size 13. To change your battery, remove the orange sticker to reveal a smooth side on the battery with a cross indicating positive. The smooth side up with the cross is the correct way to insert the battery.
If you find you have to force the battery door closed, then the battery has been inserted the wrong way round.
Battery life
This will depend on the type of battery your hearing aids use, how frequently you use the hearing aid and the strength of your hearing aid. A size 13 battery usually lasts 10-14 days, although if you have the more powerful hearing aid it might last only 6-8 days. Your hearing aid will beep twice to alert you that the battery needs changing. The hearing aid will give you a final 4 beep warning that your batteries have expired.
Ordering replacement batteries
Please send a large letter stamped addressed envelope to our Haywards Heath or Worthing office.
Battery safety
- Batteries should not be put in the fire as they may explode.
- Do not recharge the batteries.
- Batteries must be stored in a cool, dry and safe place.
- Keep batteries out of reach of small children. They are shiny and might look interesting to eat. The same applies to animals.
- If anyone swallows a battery contact your GP or local hospital immediately.
- Do not expose your hearing aid batteries to extreme temperatures.
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How To Insert Your Hearing Aid
Hearing aids are colour coded with red markers indicating the right aid and blue markers for the left. You will see the colour markers if you open the battery door.
How to turn your hearing aid on and off
The battery compartment is the on/off switch. When you put your hearing aid on, close the battery door. When you take your aid off, open the battery door to turn it off. If you have poor eyesight you can feel for the catch on the battery door, underneath the hearing aid.
Cleaning Your Ear Mould And Tubing
To keep the inside of the hearing aid tube clean you will need to take the hearing aid out from the top of the tubing . This is because you can simply slot back in to the tube to the hearing aid, but the mould has the tube fitted through it professionaly.
You will be left with the mould and the tube still together and the hearing aid separate, put the hearing aid in to its box, or hearing aid dryer.
The ear mould and tubing can then be flushed through with warm soapy water, we recommend a neutral PH and plant based soap. This will help to remove any debris or wax in the tubing. Wipe dry the outside of the ear mould and tubing before giving it a shake off any excess water and leave to dry for a number of hours . If you notice any wax to the entrance of the tubing that will not budge this can be removed with a pin or a hearing aid cleaning tool. Giving your hearing aid a wash is an activity that should be done regurlarly to keep it working well.
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Cleaning And Retubing Your Earmould
Please note, this page is printable by selecting the normal print options on your computer.
Useful videos can be found on the internet by searching C2Hear Online
You should clean your earmould at least once a week and retube it when the tubing begins to harden or discolour.
1. Separate the earmould from the hearing aid by pulling the tubing away from the elbow of the aid. Hold the elbow firmly with one hand and hold the tubing firmly with the other hand, this way you wont pull the tubing out of the mould or damage the hearing aid.
2. Wash the earmould in warm soapy water . You can use a nail brush to remove any wax and let the water from the tap run through the tube to clean it out thoroughly.
3. Rinse the earmould in clean water and give it a good shake to remove any drops of water. Leave it to dry.
4. When its completely dry re-attach the earmould to the hearing aid. Make sure that the curve of the earmould matches the curve of the hearing aid. * The hearing aid itself should only be wiped with a dry cloth, do not wash it and do not let it get wet!
* The hearing aid itself should only be wiped with a dry cloth, do not wash it and do not let it get wet!
Cleaning and Retubing your Earmould
You can get tubing from your Sensory Advice and Resource Centre Milton Keynes Telephone: 01908 401135, Email:
How To Get Nhs Hearing Aid Tube Replacement
If you got your hearing aid via the NHS, youd need to contact the NHS trust that fitted your hearing aids. In most cases, youll be able to do this through your local GP: many GPs field hearing aid maintenance or replacement requests. As long as its just the tubing, you may even be able to get your GP to send your tubes to you via post if you cannot make a formal appointment.
The NHS does charge a fee for damage or loss through negligence, but in practice, this is rarely levied. Your individual NHS trust may have its separate procedure for procuring NHS hearing aid tubes, but in most cases, its a matter of notifying your audiologist and collecting your new tubes.
In all, hearing aid tubes replacement is a relatively simple process if you got your hearing aid via the NHS.
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How Do Hearing Device Tubes Work
Tubing may be highly affordable and may seem like no more than a minor part of the hearing aid, but its function is vital to an excellent hearing experience. The primary function of a tube is to transfer sound from the hearing aid sitting behind your ear into the ear mould and, finally, into the ear canal itself. Its critical to being able to hear sound.
Whenever a sound is detected, the hearing aid converts it into a digital signal, which is then transmitted into the amplifier inside the ear mould. Without the tube, you will be unable to hear anything.
There are other reasons why modern tubing works how it does, including:
- It secures your hearing aid in place. Without this anchorage, you wouldnt be able to enjoy the same active lifestyle you do now. Secure tubing provides better comfort and prevents the need for constant adjustments.
- Most modern tubing is completely transparent to make your hearing aid more difficult to notice. Discretion is important to many BTE hearing aid wearers.
- Tubing also adds distance between the mould inside your ear and the hearing device itself. This keeps your hearing aid cleaner than In-the-Ear models and ensures it has a longer lifespan.
As you can see, tubing is an essential part of making sure your hearing aid continues to do its job. Even though maintenance and replacement can be annoying realities of wearing a hearing aid, they are crucial.
But what if you need to replace your tubing?
How To Clean Headband Hearing Aids
Most hearing aids have a filter or other systems that prevent earwax from penetrating inside. In this way, we avoid that they can cause breakdowns and loss of hearing quality.
Undoubtedly, in a global pandemic scenario, in this 2020, cleanliness is more important than ever. Therefore, we explain the main recommendations for the correct cleaning of your hearing aids.
However, the accumulation of this wax is one of the main causes of hearing aid failure. Thus, earwax clogs the sound outlet or the ventilation opening causing a weak or distorted sound or no sound at all.
Earwax is therefore one of the main causes of hearing aid problems. However, using a wax protection system as well as tools to remove wax that may have accumulated will extend the life of your hearing aids.
On the other hand, there are wipes that can make the task easier. Thus, with a simple cleaning kit you will be able to maintain your hearing aids, whether behind-the-ear or in-the-ear, without problems.
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How To Clean White Headset Hearing Aids
Tobacco is harmful to everything. And also for the ears. So says a trial conducted by the University of Manchester , which concludes that smokers are more likely to suffer from deafness than people who are not exposed to tobacco. Specifically, the study found that test subjects exposed to more than 10 hours had a 40% higher risk of hearing loss than non-smokers. The most likely cause is that smoking causes cardiovascular disease, which reduces blood flow to the ears and damages the sensory cells in the ears.
Not hearing the television well and turning up the volume more than usual is usually one of the first symptoms of hearing loss, so when this happens it is advisable to go to a hearing center for an examination. In addition, people with incipient hearing problems will find it difficult to understand speech in noisy environments, such as restaurants, stores or busy streets at rush hour.
Where Can I Buy Hearing Aid Tubes In The Uk
Did you receive an NHS hearing aid? Then chances are you received a Behind-the-Ear hearing aid with a custom mould. This style of hearing aids is the most common because they provide the most power and are therefore suitable for a range of hearing impairments, including profound hearing loss.
A thin tube connects the hearing aid behind your ear and into the custom mould sitting inside your ear. Understanding hearing aid tubes is key to ensuring your hearing aid continues to perform to a high standard.
Lets examine what you need to know about hearing aid tubes in the UK.
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Hearing Aid Controls: Volume And Programmes
The hearing aid controls are operated by the rocker switch at the back of your hearing aid. Some people prefer a fully automatic function only on their hearing aids, in which case the rocker switch is not activated.
Hearing aid programmes
Hearing aids can have additional programmes installed on them. These extra programmes may increase the efficiency of the hearing aid in different environments. Not everyone wants multiple programmes on their hearing aids. It is up to you and your audiologist to decide what is best for you. First time hearing aid users usually prefer to keep the hearing aid functions simple whilst they are getting used to wearing the hearing aid.
Hearing aids programmes give you more choice about the function of your hearing aid. A common programme for those with severe hearing loss is the loop or T-coil setting for use in public spaces such as theatres and banks. Other programmes available are speech in noise and music. Your audiologist will advise you on which programmes you have activated on your hearing aid.
The loop programme works with induction loop systems seen in some shops, churches, cinemas and theaters. You can tell if there is an induction loop available as the symbol on the left will be displayed.
The speech in noise programme can help listening in noisy group settings such as restaurants and cafes.
How To Replace Your Hearing Aid Tubing
Assuming youve already ordered your NHS hearing aid tube replacement and youre ready to make the switch, you need to know how to do it. Unfortunately, this is where many newer hearing aid wearers struggle, as its not always clear what you must do to replace the tubing safely and effectively.
Heres our guide to replacing your hearing aid tubing:
While it may sound complex to fit new tubing initially, its not as difficult as it sounds. For any extra help, contact your audiologist. They will be happy to guide you through the process of replacing your old NHS hearing aid tubes. It can take a few attempts to get used to it, especially if you lack dexterity.
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How To Clean Oticon Hearing Aid Tubes
Taking time out of your day to clean hearing aid tubing is never a pleasant experience. The problem is the tubes can and do become blocked by earwax. This is natural, and theres nothing you can do about it.
The longer you put off cleaning, however, the higher the chance of needing an Oticon hearing aid tube replacement. We recommend cleaning the tubes when you notice any build-up or a noticeable decline in your BTE hearing aid performance.
When you get your new hearing aids, youll also receive the special Oticon multitool cleaning implement. These are designed specifically for the Corda thin tubing used in Oticon hearing aids.
Heres how to clean your hearing aid tubes:
- Pull the thin tube out of the hearing aid. Dont worry if theres some resistance. Its supposed to have a tight fit, so it doesnt disconnect while youre out and about.
- Take the Oticon cleaning tool and push it all the way into the thin tube. Avoid forcing the cleaning tool inside. While robust, improper cleaning may cause damage to the tube, thus necessitating an NHS hearing aid tube replacement.
- Reconnect the thin tube to the hearing aid after its clean.
It really is that easy to keep your hearing aid tubes clean. Oticon has designed the Corda thin tube so anyone can keep their tubes clean, even if they have limited dexterity.
Using Oticon Hearing Aid Tubes
As of this writing, the NHS favours Oticon BTE hearing aids. Patients typically have little to no choice over the brand as this is the manufacturer the NHS signed a supply contract with. However, Oticon is one of the leading brands in the world, so theres no need to worry.
Heres what you need to know about using and caring for your Oticon hearing aid tubes.
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A Guide To Hearing Aid Tubes
Hearing aids need regular maintenance to guarantee optimal performance. Its why we always recommend wiping your hearing aids down when you remove them before you go to bed.
Earwax presents the biggest problem for hearing aid tubing. While a vital lubricant for the ear, it can sometimes block your hearing aid tubes, which can lead to weaker sounds and more distorted sounds.
In most cases, cleaning your Oticon hearing aid tubes is a matter of using a small cleaning wire to alleviate the blockage. Sometimes, though, a blockage may be unable to be removed, or it may have caused damage to the tubing.
In this case, you may need to look into an NHS hearing aid tube replacement service. If this happens to you, its important to know where to turn so you can continue to enjoy great hearing, any time.
Contact A Hearing Aid Professional Now
Theres no getting around the fact that becoming a hearing aid wearer means you need to spend time properly caring for and maintaining your hearing aid. However, the time spent is worth a lifetime of crystal-clear hearing.
Dont suffer in a world of silence. We can answer any questions you might have or help you book a free hearing test. Contact a hearing aid professional through EarPros and schedule a consultation now. With our assistance, youll be able to find the best hearing aids for your specific needs.
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Hearing Aid Tubing Decoration And Colours
You may be happy with a see through and transparent hearing aid tubing option but for some the idea of it being inconspicious is a little boring. There are a number of fun options to decorate your hearing aid without it harming your sound quality. You can get different coloured tubing options from a translucent pink to suit a skin tone to a bright pink to show off your personality. You can get blue, yellow, green and red tubing, different colour options are something you will need to purchase. You do need to be careful where you have bought it from and that you don’t just colour them yourself as you might find with moisture build up the colour rubs off onto your ear.
Other hearing aid tubing decorations are jewels and fun characters that attach around the tubing. In the UK there are couple of small bussiness out there that have developed such decorations as hearing aid wearers themselves or parents to children who are hearing aid wearers to add a bit more jazz to them. Ones to check out our tubtastic pimps, my lugs and the beautiful earring style designs by Hearrings.
What I would say is be careful of the weight of the item, if you choose to wear a decoration on your hearing aid tubing. You do not want to compress the tube preventing the sound from getting through.