IHS Troubleshooting Hearing Instruments 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient reports that voices sound natural but background noise is excessively amplified after a fitting adjustment. Which parameter should the clinician review?
- Directional microphone settings or noise reduction algorithm strength (Correct answer)
- Receiver output ceiling
- Telecoil bandwidth
- Earmold vent diameter
Correct answer: Directional microphone settings or noise reduction algorithm strength
Directional microphone mode and noise reduction algorithms directly control the balance between speech and background noise amplification.
Question 2: After cleaning an ITE hearing aid with a brush and wax loop, the patient still reports no sound. What is the next troubleshooting step?
- Replace the wax guard and retest (Correct answer)
- Order a new hearing aid immediately
- Increase the gain by 10 dB
- Switch to a CIC style
Correct answer: Replace the wax guard and retest
If brushing and wax loop cleaning did not restore function, the wax guard itself is likely blocked and needs replacement before further electrical troubleshooting.
Question 3: A patient whose hearing aid previously worked well now reports it sounds distorted specifically during phone calls. In-person speech is clear. What is the likely cause?
- Telecoil or Bluetooth streaming pathway issue, not the main microphone or receiver (Correct answer)
- Receiver failure
- Blocked earmold vent
- Loose battery contact
Correct answer: Telecoil or Bluetooth streaming pathway issue, not the main microphone or receiver
If distortion occurs only during phone use (telecoil or Bluetooth) but not with the microphone, the fault lies within the telecoil, wireless module, or streaming pathway.
Question 4: A dispensing professional uses a hearing aid test box (coupler measurements) and finds output is 15 dB below the manufacturer's specification. The battery is new. What is most likely?
- The test box microphone is uncalibrated
- Internal receiver or amplifier failure requiring manufacturer repair (Correct answer)
- The patient's ear canal is smaller than average
- Incorrect NAL target selected
Correct answer: Internal receiver or amplifier failure requiring manufacturer repair
A 15 dB output deficit compared to manufacturer specifications in a calibrated test box indicates an internal component failure—most commonly the receiver or amplifier circuit.
Question 5: A hearing aid with feedback management activated still produces constant whistling when properly inserted. What is the recommended next step?
- Disable feedback management to test if it is causing the issue
- Have the patient return for a new earmold impression to improve acoustic seal (Correct answer)
- Increase compression ratio
- Switch to a higher-power receiver
Correct answer: Have the patient return for a new earmold impression to improve acoustic seal
Persistent feedback despite active feedback management usually means the physical acoustic seal is inadequate; a new impression and earmold will correct the venting leak.
Question 6: A patient reports their rechargeable hearing aid's battery life has decreased from 18 hours to 6 hours over several months. The charging contacts are clean. What is most likely?
- The hearing aid volume has been turned up
- Battery cell degradation from charge cycles reducing capacity (Correct answer)
- Telecoil constant activation draining power
- Bluetooth pairing issue
Correct answer: Battery cell degradation from charge cycles reducing capacity
Rechargeable lithium-ion cells degrade over hundreds of charge cycles, permanently losing capacity and resulting in shorter daily runtime.
Question 7: Which of the following is the correct sequence for troubleshooting a hearing aid reported as 'completely dead'?
- Send for repair → test battery → check wax guard
- Check battery → inspect wax guard/tubing → listen with stethoscope → send for repair if needed (Correct answer)
- Reprogram → change earmold → replace battery
- Replace receiver → check battery → inspect tubing
Correct answer: Check battery → inspect wax guard/tubing → listen with stethoscope → send for repair if needed
The standard troubleshooting hierarchy starts with the most common, reversible causes (battery, wax guard, tubing) before committing to repair or replacement.
IHS Troubleshooting Hearing Instruments 5
A patient reports that voices sound natural but background noise is excessively amplified after a fitting adjustment.
Which parameter should the clinician review?