Changing Wax Guards on Hearing Aids

Changing the wax guards on your hearing aid is an essential aspect of caring for your hearing aid.

Before we go on to discuss changing the wax guards, let us talk about what wax guards are. Why they are essential? How to know when to change the wax guards? And, how often you should change your wax guards?

 

What are wax guards?

They are tiny plastic yokes designed to protect the speaker of your hearing aid from wax. There are also advanced wax guards that are designed to protect your speaker from moisture as well.

Wax guards are essential because the speakers in your hearing aid will not function properly if moisture or wax gets to it. The leading causes of hearing aid repairs are excessive ear wax, moisture damage, and battery malfunction.

When there is excessive ear wax or moisture in the receiver, you may not be able to hear clearly. Sounds may non-existent, weak or distorted.

 

How to know when to change the wax guards?

When you carry out your regular cleaning routine, it is important to pay special attention to the speaker of your hearing aid. Check to see if there is a substantial amount of wax in it.

Most wax filters or wax guards have a series of holes located in the cup, and they are visible to the eye.

If you cannot see the holes or if they are blocked, that’s a sign that it’s time to change your wax guards. It is also important to note that, you don’t have to wait until the sounds go dead before changing the wax guards on your hearing aids.

In many cases, the hearing aids may not go completely dead until the wax has fully invaded the speaker.

 

How often should I change my wax guards?

While there are people who change their wax guards monthly, there are others who use theirs for several months before changing.

There is really no specific timing for how often you should change your wax guards. It depends on the amount of ear wax in your ear canal.

However, if you don’t know how to go about it, especially if you’re doing it for the first time, visit a hearing aid centre, such as Perfect Hearing to get help for your device.

 

Changing the wax guards on your hearing aids

Even though there are a growing number of hearing aid styles today, most of them are still similar in nature. Ensure that you use the same type of wax guards the hearing aid manufacturers supply.

 

Changing the wax guard on custom hearing aid (General Instructions)

Follow the steps to learn how to change wax guards on custom hearing aids.

• Take out the new wax guard out of the packaging.
• Take out the tool from the shell. The tool usually has two pins: one with the new wax guard and one empty for removal.
• Insert the empty pin into the old wax guard in the speaker and pull it out.
• Now, use the other pin to insert the new wax guard. You can now remove the tool by rolling it off and discard.

 

Changing wax guards on Receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aids

For RITE hearing aid users, it is even more essential to change your wax guard as often as you should. The RITE hearing aids are even more sensitive to ear wax than the custom hearing aids.

Changing the wax guards on the RITE hearing aids is similar to the custom hearing aids. Follow the steps below to get it done:

• The wax guards usually come in a circular holder. Take out the tool from the shell. It should also have two pins. One with the new wax guard and the empty one for removal.
• Insert the empty pin into the old wax guard. When it clicks, pull it out.
• Insert the new wax guard with the other pin.
• Take out the tool by rolling it off. Discard it after you’re done.

 

If you aren’t sure about changing the wax guards in your hearing aids, visit Perfect hearing, your caring hearing aid centre in Malaysia. Feel free to make an appointment with our friendly and helpful staff for a consultation session at: Book a Hearing Test Appointment