Domes are the small plastic/rubber pieces that go on the end of your hearing aid's receiver if you have a RIC style hearing aid. These domes come in a variety of sizes and styles. The dome size and style depends on the shape/size of your ear canal, your receiver size, and your individual hearing loss. Some people may wear the same size dome on both hearing aids, while some people may have different sizes on each hearing aid. The domes should be cleaned off with a brush in the morning, prior to wearing the hearing aids for the day. If you need more domes, please call us at 907.789.6780!

A wax guard, also known as a wax trap or wax filter, prevents the permeation of earwax into the hearing aid. Wax guards are pretty similar to the sink strainer in your kitchen sink. Like blocking food from going down and clogging the drain, the wax guard blocks earwax from getting into the hearing aid components. If the guard is not in place or wax gets pushed past it, the chemical composition of earwax can damage the sensitive electronic components located inside of your hearing aid. We recommend that you lightly brush the wax guard off with your cleaning brush each morning before wearing your hearing aids for the day. Cleaning the wax off in the morning tends to be easier as it's had a chance to harden up overnight and is much easier to brush off than warm, pliable earwax. If the wax guard becomes full of wax the hearing aid will likely sound muffled or will not produce any sound until the wax guard is replaced with a fresh one. The frequency of changing your wax guard would depend on the amount of wax you produce. Some people may change their wax guards once every six months while others may change it every few weeks- it just depends on the individual hearing aid wearer! If you're running low on you wax guards give us a call at 907.789.6780!

Kickstands, sports locks and foots are the same thing in the hearing aid world! These thin rubber tails slip over the receivers of RIC style hearing aids to give some extra support to your hearing aid placement. The tail is tucked backwards into the concha (the bowl of your ear) to help keep the hearing aid in place in your ear. After a few days of using a new kickstand, the tail should mold itself to the shape of your ear for easy insertion. Some users may trim the tail down depending on the size of their concha. The use of a kickstand is really a personal preference - if you're not having issues keeping your hearing aids in place, you likely don't need a kickstand. If you think you'd benefit from adding a kickstand to your hearing aids, or you'd like replacement kickstands, call us at 907.789.6780!

FAQs - Northland Audiology

Why don’t my batteries last longer?

Watch batteries may last year, but require little power to keep ticking. Hearing aids require more power to perform complex functions to amplify sound correctly to meet you needs and the varying listening environments you're in throughout the day.

What are domes?

Domes are the small plastic/rubber pieces that go on the end of your hearing aid's receiver if you have a RIC style hearing aid. These domes come in a variety of sizes and styles. The dome size and style depends on the shape/size of your ear canal, your receiver size, and your individual hearing loss. Some

What is a wax guard?

A wax guard, also known as a wax trap or wax filter, prevents the permeation of earwax into the hearing aid. Wax guards are pretty similar to the sink strainer in your kitchen sink. Like blocking food from going down and clogging the drain, the wax guard blocks earwax from getting into the hearing aid components. If the

What is a kickstand?

Kickstands, sports locks and foots are the same thing in the hearing aid world! These thin rubber tails slip over the receivers of RIC style hearing aids to give some extra support to your hearing aid placement. The tail is tucked backwards into the concha (the bowl of your ear) to help keep the hearing aid in place in your

What are the different battery sizes?

Hearing aid batteries are standardized with number and color codes to make them easy to find what you need. Size 10 = Yellow Size 13 = Orange Size 312 = Brown Size 675 = Blue If you cannot remember your battery size, call us at 907.789.6780!

Do you sell batteries?

Yes, we sell hearing aid batteries. Our PowerOne batteries are ordered directly from the manufacturer to ensure the freshest, longest lasting batteries possible. We sell disposable hearing aid batteries in packages of 6 and packages of 48. We also carry rechargeable hearing aid batteries and charging units. Stop by our Juneau office or call 907.789.6780 to purchase new

How long will my batteries last?

Hearing aid batteries will typically last about 5-7 days depending on the size of the battery, the model of hearing aid, the level of hearing loss, and the demands of the location where you use them. The more active your hearing aid needs to be, the more battery power it will use. Rechargeable batteries are

How can I avoid running out of batteries?

Simple, keep a month's supply of batteries for your hearing aids on hand, 8-10, and order more once you're down to 8, to allow for shipping time. We sell PowerOne batteries in packages of 6 and 48. Feel free to stop by our office Monday - Friday between 8am and 5pm or call us at 907.789.6780 to purchase

Where should I store my batteries?

The best place to store your batteries is right where you store your hearing aid(s) at night; in a bedside table, or if you have space, in a drawer in your bathroom. That way the batteries will be there when you put your hearing aids in first thing in the morning. We suggest keeping the

Does my warranty cover repairs?

Your hearing aids are covered by at least a one year manufacturer’s warranty. The length of the warranty varies by manufacturer and hearing aid model. This means, if something in your hearing aid breaks before your warranty expires, we can send your hearing aid to the manufacturer for repair, typically free of charge. Once your