The document discusses factors to consider when deciding whether to repair or replace broken hearing aids. It notes that hearing aids can break down over time due to moisture, wax, and normal wear and tear. The best choice depends on how much one likes their current hearing aids and the associated costs - repair may be a few hundred dollars while replacement can cost thousands. Bringing hearing aids to a local audiologist for assessment and potential repair offers additional benefits compared to working directly with an outside repair lab. The final decision depends on individual preferences and circumstances.

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CHOOSING BETWEEN REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR FOR A
BROKEN HEARING AID
One of our most frequently asked questions is, “My hearing aid is broken or is not working
as well as it used to – should I have it repaired, or get a new one?” Presented with only
that amount of information, we have to answer honestly, “It depends.” Deciding between
repair or replace doesn’t have a one right answer. It really depends upon the situation and
the preferences of the individual asking the question.
The first thing to consider is that all hearing aids – no matter how expensive they were or
how well they were made – will at times start to function less well, or break. The
surroundings that hearing aids inhabit –
your ear canals – is an inhospitable one for
advanced electronic devices, full of
moisture and ear wax. Both ear wax and
moisture are natural, but your hearing aids
dislike them both. Moisture can damage
the tiny electronics while wax can generally
‘gum up’ the inner workings. In addition,
there is always the possibility of breakage
due to an accident or dropping the hearing
aids, and the inner tubing and other parts
inevitably wear out over time, so after
several years you can count on your aids
needing repair or replacement.
One of the factors that should most influence your choice to “repair or replace” is whether
you like your present hearing aids. If you do, or you have become accustomed to the
sound they produce(as many wearers of older analog hearing aids do), it may make more
sense to have them fixed than to upgrade them with newer digital aids that may produce a
substantially different sound or wearing experience.
A further consideration, obviously, is cost – new hearing aids might cost thousands, but
fixing your present hearing aids might cost only a few hundred dollars dependent on what
is wrong with them. The part we cannot answer for you is the influence of insurance. A few

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Advanced
Ear
Care
| (949)
777-­‐6521
| http://advancedearcare.com
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insurance plans cover hearing aid replacements, but not repairs or have
varying policies on partial or full coverage.
Another concern that comes up if you choose to have your hearing aids repaired is, “Do I
return them to the place where I bought them, or send them to a repair lab myself?” There
are many added benefits bringing them to a local audiologist as opposed to working with a
far-off repair lab directly. Think about whether you are qualified to assess whether a badly
operating hearing aid needs repairs versus cleaning? Can you determine if your broken
aid is fixable at all? Your neighborhood audiologist can tell you what is really wrong with it
and might be able to fix it right then. For hearing aids which do need laboratory or
manufacturer repairs, the office will handle all the paperwork and shipping for you. Don’t
assume the price will be higher for these value-added services, because hearing
professionals deal with repair facilities in bulk.
If you decide to replace your hearing aids, more options are open to you. Take the time to
find out about the technical innovations since the last time you bought and be open to
improved designs. More recent digital hearing aids have capabilities that might help your
hearing and can be more easily programmed to work the way you want them to. So the
final decision whether to “repair or replace” is still yours, but hopefully this information will
help you make it.