For all new hearing aid users, it is hard to get used to the amount of sound that you hear. In the first couple of days, most people want to turn their hearing aids softer. Or perhaps you have a difficult-to-hear family member and you desire to turn the volume temporarily louder. Let me show you how to adjust the volume of your hearing aids.
So how do you adjust your hearing aid volume? Depending on your style of hearing aid, you may be able to adjust the volume by:
- Push buttons on the hearing aids (the right aid button raises the volume, left lowers the volume)
- Rotary wheel
- Use toggle switch
- Use remote control
- Use an app on your cell phone
- Use iPhone or iWatch
Let me save you a lot of time researching and showing pictures with explanations so that you will know how to adjust the volume on the hearing aid that you own.
General Information on How Hearing Aid Volume Controls Work
A few things to the first review apply to practically every hearing aid.
- Hearing aid volume changes are temporary. As soon as the hearing aid is turned off and turned back on the hearing aid will go back to the default setting or the level at which your audiologist last programmed the hearing aid to be. This is a good thing because you can never mess up the settings of your hearing aid.
- Most hearing aids run some sort of autopilot program in which they are analyzing the environment that you are in and automatically adjust the hearing aid program, microphone directions, and volume to be best for you. The goal of these autopilots is to help you hear better without having to think about needing the volume louder or softer.
- When you change the volume, the autopilot function will still run but you just used a manual override on it.
- Increasing volume does not necessarily mean added word recognition or speech clarity.
Use the Push Button on the Hearing Aid to Change the Volume
The most common method to change the volume on hearing aids is by using push buttons. This feature would have been enabled or disabled by your audiologist. If it doesn’t work for you, the hearing aid settings may need to be changed.
A button is on each hearing aid and a short press will change the volume.
If you press the button on your right hearing aid (the aid that is red color coded) it will raise the volume by usually 2dB. If you press the button on your left aid (the aid color-coded blue) it will decrease the volume by 2dB).
Most hearing aids give you multiple steps to either increase or decrease the volume. Each press should be brief. If you press and hold the button for longer than 3 seconds, the button will not activate the volume control.
To remember which hearing aid makes the volume increase remember “the 3 R’s” which stand for RED, RIGHT, and RAISE.
Rotate Rotary Wheel to Change Hearing Aid Volume
Rotary wheels are generally used on the in-the-ear style of hearing aids.
To increase the volume you rotate the dial forward so it is coming up towards your eyes.
To decrease the volume you spin it in the opposite direction so it would be going backward away from your eyes.
The aids will cap you at the maximum or minimum point and you will likely hear a double beep to inform you that the aid will no longer go up or down anymore in volume. However, the wheel would keep spinning but no further changes would be made.
How To Adjust Hearing Aid Volume By Using A Toggle Switch
The toggle switch is like a light switch that you can push it in either direction. After it is pushed, the switch will automatically return to its centered position.
When you push it up or toward the top of the hearing aid it increases the volume. When you press it down it decreases the volume.
For multiple steps louder or softer, you need to press the button multiple times. DO NOT PRESS AND HOLD. A press should be a quick 1-second push. If the push is over 3 seconds, the hearing aid will not interpret that you wanted the volume louder.
Adjust the Volume Using A Hearing Aid Remote Control
Most hearing aids have a remote control option that you could buy as an optional accessory. A remote is designed to make the function of changing volume easier as you can see what you are doing. Remote can be especially helpful to those with arthritic hands or dexterity issues.
Basically, the remote is just like a remote control to a television. The plus button will increase the volume and the minus button will decrease the volume.
Remotes are not mandatory as you can make the changes on the hearing aids by using a push button, rotary wheel, or the toggle switch as described above.
Adjust the Volume On Your Hearing Aid By Using an App On Your Phone
Many but not all hearing aids today have the ability to connect to cell phones using Bluetooth. Some have the ability to go directly to the phone from the hearing aid and others require a Bluetooth intermediary device. Either way, if it connects to your phone it has an app that can be used to control the hearing aids.
The benefit of using the app to adjust your hearing aids is that it is indiscrete. Meaning that your co-workers or anyone else around you will probably think you are sending a text, checking an email or playing a game on your phone.
If you would like to adjust the volume of your hearing aids by using an app, just search the brand name of your hearing aids in the app store on your phone.
Related Questions
Does turning my hearing aid louder create static? When the high frequencies are turned louder in the hearing aid, you will hear more hissing and static noise. This is normal and to be expected. Reduce static by turning the high frequencies lower.
Does turning hearing aids louder make them whistle? Feedback or the whistling in hearing aids is more likely to occur the louder the volume is set. Please see how to stop hearing aid feedback from occurring
.
Will a dirty dome and wax trap reduce the volume of my hearing aids? Any part of the hearing aid that is inside of your ear canal that is blocking the sound from leaving the hearing aid will reduce or eliminate the sound of the hearing aid. Please change wax traps often and clean hearing aid domes and brush microphones.
