Should You Replace a Damaged Hearing Aid or is it Better to Repair It?

One of the most common questions we are asked is, “My old hearing aid is damaged or is not performing the same way it used to – do you think I should purchase a new one, or have it repaired?” Provided with only that amount of information, we have to answer honestly, “It depends.” The matter of whether to replace or repair depends on many factors, and the “ideal answer” is as individual as the people asking the question.

An important thing to consider is that all hearing aids – irrespective of how expensive they were or how well they were built – will at times begin to function less well, or fail. Why is that the case? Mostly because of ongoing use in an inhospitable environment filled with ear wax and moisture. Both ear wax and moisture are natural, but your hearing aids don’t like either of them. Water can harm the tiny electronics while ear wax can generally ‘gum up’ the interior. In addition, there is always the potential for breakage from an accident or dropping the aids, and the inner tubing and other parts inevitably degrade over time, so after some years you can expect your aids needing replacement or repair.

So how do you choose between replace and repair? The most important consideration really is you, and whether you like your current hearing aids. If you like them and are familiar with the sound that they produce or really like the fit, repair could be the better option for you.

An additional factor to consider, obviously, is cost – whereas a new pair of hearing aids may cost thousands of dollars, your current aids may cost only a couple of hundred dollars to fix. The part we can’t answer in this article is the impact of insurance. A few insurance policies cover hearing aid replacements, but not repairs or have varying policies on partial or full coverage.

Another question that comes up if you decide to have your hearing aids repaired is, “Do I return them to the store where I purchased them, or send them to a repair laboratory myself?” While online advertisers will try portray your neighborhood audiologist as just a middle-man, that isn’t true. There are several advantages to staying nearby. First off all, they can determine if repairs are in fact needed. Second, they may be able to get the repairs done on-site decreasing the length of time you do not have your hearing aid. For hearing aids that do require laboratory or manufacturer repairs, the practice will manage all the communications and paperwork for you. Don’t presume the price will be higher for these value-added services, because audiologists work with repair labs in larger volumes.

If you choose to replace your aids, more choices are open to you. Make an effort to understand the technological improvements since the last time you bought and be open to improved designs. More recent hearing aid styles may have capabilities that interest to you, and can be finely adjusted to suit your individual hearing needs. The answer to this “repair or replace” question is still up to you, but we hope that the information we have offered will help you.