Traditional hearing aids are a lot like Bluetooth, and wireless earbuds. You put them in when you need them throughout the day and take them out when you’re done.
Lyric hearing aids have a whole new approach and technically, they are disposable hearing aids.
Not only that— they are also designed to not be removed until you make that return appointment with your audiologist.
It’s quite reasonable for people to expect that non-removable hearing aids should function without a hiccup until it’s time to go.
It’s a good idea to know the common problems with Lyric hearing aids because once they’re in, they’re in for a while.
1. Ear Canal Pain and/or Discomfort
This isn’t necessarily a problem with Lyric hearing aids, at least not directly. However, it’s something that’s worth considering because these hearing aids stay in your ear canal for up to four months.
That includes bedtime, shower time, and all the time in between.
If you have any experience wearing earbuds or hearing aids, you’ve probably experienced discomfort or pain in your ears after wearing them for a certain amount of time.
In most cases, you change the size of the ear tips and move on. That’s not an option here.
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2. You Get a Small Wand for Volume Changes
Another indirect but potential problem is volume adjustment. Lyric Hearing Aids are buried deep in the ear canal.
You can’t just reach up and change the volume if everything is a bit much. You can’t even take them out to change the volume, at least not in the traditional way.
If you’ve ever had problems keeping up with the TV remote or your keys, you’re going to love Lyric. Not only do you have to keep up with the tiny little “wand” instrument, but you also have to use it to insert and remove the Lyric device in your ear.
Change the volume and use the wand to jam the hearing aid back in.
3. Battery Problems Necessitate an Appointment
The third indirect problem is the battery. Lyric Hearing Aids are not known for having battery failures. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t end up with one that was manufactured on a Friday, meaning the workers were just ready to go home.
If the battery fails, on Saturday, there’s nothing you can do about it until potentially Monday because you have to go see your audiologist to get it removed and replaced.
4. No Swimming
Showers and even baths are fine, so long as you don’t submerge your head. If you want to go swimming, you will need to use the wand to remove the hearing aids from your ears before you take a dive.
Lyric Hearing Aids are water resistant enough to withstand water from splashes and showers but no complete submersion.
5. Blockages are Common
Some people can throw hearing aids or earbuds in their ears and never have a single problem or change in anything.
However, that’s not the case with everyone. Some people put hearing aids in their ears and immediately experience earwax buildup.
The problem here is that you can’t just take the things out whenever you want to. Sure, you can use the wand if necessary (and if you didn’t misplace it), but it’s inadvisable unless you really need to use it.
Ear wax build-up will mostly occur on the inside of the hearing aid and it will mash up against the hearing aid, blocking its ability to relay sound through vibration.
6. Early Failures
While the vast majority of Lyric Hearing Aids are not problematic, they are designed to last only a few months after all.
When you’re toeing the line with operability and failure, there are bound to be more problems than you will find in traditional hearing aids.
One of the most frequent complaints is users having to replace their Lyric Hearing aids in three to four weeks rather than three to four months.
The oft-reported, tell-tale sign of imminent failure is a weird “whooshing” sound that repeats itself over and over until the hearing aids finally quit.
7. Multiple Adjustments
One of the other common problems reported with Lyric Hearing Aids is the number of necessary adjustments.
Audiologists know their stuff but they aren’t perfect. Before you are outfitted with a pair of Lyric Hearing Aids, you will go through a number of tests.
These tests determine whether or not you are a good candidate for Lyric Hearing Aids. However, these tests aren’t a 100% assurance that your Lyrics will be comfortable.
If they aren’t, you may spend multiple trips returning to the audiologist for additional adjustments.
8. Abruptly Turning On and Off
While not a common complaint, this is one that probably aggravates more than any other. It’s one thing for them to quit completely and quite another to trick you into thinking they quit, only to turn back on.
Like all of the other issues listed above, these are not things that should define Lyric Hearing Aids. If all Lyric Hearing Aids were quitting and starting over and over again, Lyric wouldn’t be in business today.
But it does happen from time to time, usually in the form of cutting out for an instant before returning to normal.
In rare cases, some Lyric hearing aids cut out for hours or more before returning to normal. Fortunately, these incidents are not frequent.
9. Analog is More Difficult to Adjust
Lyric Hearing Aids use analog sound rather than digital. With analog, audiologists don’t have as much leeway to make adjustments as they would with digital.
With digital hearing aids, an audiologist can simply hook them up to their computer and make all kinds of intricate tweaks to their profile.
All Things Considered
When you do a list like this, it often gives the impression that the “common” problems indicate a terrible device.
Lyric Hearing Aids are by no means terrible hearing aids and they may work wonders for many users. However, these are just the common problems customers bring up.
It’s also a common problem that hearing aids may cause indirectly, thanks to factors that are outside of the control of manufacturers or the audiologist who recommends them.
However, knowledge is power, and the more you know, the more power you have to make an informed decision on your next hearing aid.
References
https://www.phonak.com/au/en/support/product-support/hearing-aids/lyric.html