Malcolm Stewart wrote:
Just thought I'd post this as I've not found any similar information
by Googling "Groups". (Lots of "it's not ethical to meddle" stuff,
of course...)

I've had an NHS behind-the-ear hearing aid for the last few years.
It's an analog type (using a 13ZA cell with an on-T-off switch and
rotary gain control marked from 1 to 4) and this morning it was dead,
despite it having had a new cell fitted a few days ago. It was still
dead after I tried a new cell in it, so do I take it in to my local
hospital today for repair and be without it over the holiday weekend,
or do I see if there's anything obviously wrong with it? Yesterday I
had noticed that it wasn't as good as it used to be, or was that my
hearing continuing to get worse...

The tube to the earpiece was clear, but when I examined the
microphone area through a magnifier I was horrified at all the crud
which had accumulated, and after removing a fair amount mechanically,
I finished off blasting the hole with IPA from an aerosol using the
fine tube applicator. The visual difference was impressive, but the
hearing aid was still dead. So I dried the HA on top of my hot water
tank for 15 minutes, and it's now as good as new. I can even turn
the gain control down a notch. My guess is that the crud had built
up and stopped the microphone diaphragm from vibrating.

I've no experience with any other HA type, and I'm not taking any
responsibility if your ruin yours; but in my case I've saved two
hospital car park fees, some petrol and I've got my hearing back 3-4
days earlier than otherwise.

If its an NHS aid then they will swop it there and then when you take it
in.
These analogue aids a well known having problems and just going dead.

Incidently you can now apply for a digital aid now because the RNID has
stipulated to the NHS and the gov that its time to coume up to date with
the HA as most communications nowadays are digital ie mobile phones ect.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite