My Right Oticon OPN1 Seems to Have Gone Dead, HELP!

Hearing Aids
#1

Suddenly my right hearing aid does not work. The sound became very faint as if it lost about 95% of its capacity. I changed the battery and it made no difference. When I changed the battery the hearing aid did not produce the typical introductory 5 seconds of music.

I am traveling in Europe and do not have cleaning tools. My ears produce very little wax and I usually let my audiologist perform maintenance. The last time I saw my audiologist was in October.

What could be wrong with my hearing aid? Is there anything I can do to restore it without access to special tools? I have moderate to severe hearing loss so I am a mess without my Oticons!!

Thanks for your assistance.

Sincerely,
Alan

#2

Sounds like maybe you have a wax guard that needs to be changed.
you can find information for your aids here.

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#3

95% of the times when my hearing aids seem to fail, it’s usually due to the wax guard being all plugged up. That would be the first thing to check. My ears don’t produce a lot of wax either, but I still need to periodically replace the wax guard.

If you hear a faint sound, it means that your hearing aid is not completely dead. If it’s not completely dead, it’s unlikely that it doesn’t product the start-up chime. You just don’t hear it because it’s probably plugged up pretty good.

The OPN wax guard replacement has its own built-in tool to remove the old one and put in the new one yourself. I have a little loupe magnifier to help me confirm if the wax guard needs changing ot not.

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#4

OK, I’ll take your premises. Assuming you have standard domes (as opposed to custom molds), remove the dome on the side that isn’t working. Use a magnifier, or if not available, strong reading glasses, or reading glasses combined with regular glasses to take a look at the wax guard. If it looks like it might have wax in it, use a fine brush to sweep it out. This has a good chance of working. As others mentioned, replacing it would be ideal, but you’ve already said you don’t have that option.

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#5

You are 100% correct. I changed the wax filter.

But now I broke one of the rubber domes and I don’t have a replacement!

So my while both hearing aids work, I don’t have a dome for the left aid.

Do I necessarily need an OTICON dome or can I use a dome from another brand?

I am in Paris, France so this is proving a challenge.

Thanks so much!
Alan

#6

I put Oticon dome in a eBay search, US.
605 items came up.
Do you know the type dome and size you need?
I bet there are Oticon domes somewhere in Paris France. Is there a way to search for the domes locally?

#7

check out Amazon for Oticon domes

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=oticon+domes&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

#8

You could possibly use a dome from another brand of hearing aid. Many are compatible. (Signia won’t be) Do use extra caution to ensure that dome is securely attached. It’s no fun trying to get a dome out of your ear.

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#9

Just want to mention that you can soak clogged wax filters in peroxide and that will remove the wax build up.

#10

I’m sure there are audiologist in Paris that would help out a tourest…

#11

Please be careful when using domes other than Oticon. I have used a Phonak and a Unitron dome at different times and both of them have come off in my ear. Had to have a doctor flush out the Phonak dome and was able to flush out the Unitron dome by my self.

1 Like
#12

I guess I don’t understand. French people lose their hearing and use hearing aids too. A simple Google Maps search for “Paris France hearing aids” just turned up 20 shops and that’s just the first page. Since you’re there already, you can focus your search. FWIW, I have never not been able to find help for personal things in any of the medium to large European cities I’ve been lucky enough to vacation in – Paris, Cork, Montreux, Florence, Zurich, etc., etc. – and no, I don’t speak the language, any of them.