What to do if your aid isn't working properly

This factsheet is for people who use hearing aids and may be experiencing difficulties with hearing.

If your aid is not working or if it appears to be less effective, there are some simple tests to establish whether you can fix it yourself.

Troubleshooting tips

• Change the battery, even if you have only recently put a new one in.
• Look at the mould to see if the end of the tube is blocked with wax. If it is, you can either re-tube the aid or even use a pin/needle to pick out the wax until you can get it re-tubed.
• Check to see whether it is switched to ‘T’. In most cases when the aid is switched to ‘T’ the microphone is switched off and ‘normal’ hearing is more muffled.

Whistling is usually caused when air gets into the aid. You can demonstrate this by holding the aid, switching it on and (if there is a volume switch) turning it up. When it whistles put your finger over the end of the mould and it will stop. This means that:

• If your mould is very old and does not fit your ear properly any more the aid may whistle.
• If the mould is not in your ear correctly it may whistle.
• Whistling can also indicate that the aid needs re-tubing.

All hearing aids have their own ‘noise’ especially on ‘T’, this is normal and the noise varies from aid to aid. If however, the level of noise increases or is uncomfortable, then you will have to return the aid to the audiology department. Kingston and Queen Mary’s Hospitals have drop in clinics, the days and times are:

Queen Mary’s Audiology Department:

Opening hours: Monday and Friday 9.30 – 12.00noon, Wednesday 1.30pm – 4.00pm

If you obtained your hearing aid from the West Middlesex Audiology Department, they run an appointments repair service. Contact:  020 8321 5681 – they can make appointments for you at the West Middlesex Audiology Department or:

St David’s Practice, 3rd floor, Feltham Clinic, The Centre, Feltham TW13 4GU

Teddington Hospital, 1 Hampton Road, Teddington TW11 0JL

Richmond Area Health Centres offering a NHS hearing aid battery service

Eileen Lecky Clinic

2 Clarendon Drive
Putney
SW15 1AA

Telephone: 020 8788 2236
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9am - 5pm, Friday 9am - 4.30pm

Richmond Rehab Unit

22 Evelyn Road
Richmond
TW9 2TF

Telephone: 020 8940 6546
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 8am - 5pm, Friday 8am - 4.30pm

Ham Clinic

Ashburnham Road
Ham  TW10 7NF

Telephone: 020 8973 3500
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9am - 5pm, Friday 9 - 4.45pm

Hampton Centre

Tangley Park Road
Middlesex
TW12 3YH

Telephone: 020 8973 3450
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm

Putneymead Medical Centre

350 Upper Richmond Road
Putney
SW15 6TL

Telephone: 020 8788 0686
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8am - 6.30pm

Richmond Hamlet

Kew Foot Road
Richmond,
TW9 2TE

Telephone: 020 8940 3331
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9.30am - 4.30pm

Sheen Lane Health Centre

70 Sheen Lane
East Sheen,
SW14 8LP

Telephone: 020 8870 7561
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm

St Johns Health Centre

Oak Lane
Twickenham
TW1 3PA

Telephone: 020 8891 8130
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8.45am - 5pm

Teddington Clinic

18 Queens Road
Teddington
TW11 0LR

Telephone: 020 8714 4210
Openinig hours: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm

The Surgery

22 Castelnau
Barnes,
SW13 9RU

Telephone: 020 8748 7574
Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8.30am - 6pm, Wednesday 8.30am - 1pm

Tudor Lodge Health Centre

8c Victoria Drive
Wimbledon
SW19 6AE

Telephone: 020 8788 1525
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm

Westmoor Clinic

248 Roehampton Lane
Roehampton,
SW15 4AA

Telephone: 020 8789 5511
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9am – 5pm, Friday 9am - 4.30pm

Whitton Clinic

Hospital Bridge Road
Whitton,
TW2 6LD

Telephone: 020 8973 3550
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9 am - 5pm

Visit our factsheet page for more information about Adult and Community Services.