This article contains tips on how to prevent hearing aids from falling out. Hearing aids are life-changing devices—but it can also be frustrating if your hearing aids won’t stay in your ears. It can be difficult to deal with hearing aids that continue to fall out, especially when you have to actively worry about them falling out or getting damaged while running errands, at work, and so on.

Luckily, not all is lost if your hearing aids are constantly falling out—here are some ways you can troubleshoot if your hearing aid won’t stay in your ear.

6 Steps to Take if Your Hearing Aids Won’t Stay in Place

1. Determine if it happens during a particular activity

Does your hearing aid fall out during a certain activity or a certain time of day? Things like eating, talking, or exercising—or even moisture in the ear—can cause hearing aids to come loose. This can mean your hearing aid or earmold doesn’t fit properly, which is worth getting checked out, or if you have extra inserts, you might try a smaller or larger size before seeking professional help to fix this problem.

2. Look at the inserts you’re using

If your hearing aids won’t stay in your ears and have a removable foam or silicone earpiece, you might be using the wrong size. If the earpiece is too large, it will be difficult to insert when putting in your hearing aids, and will slowly become displaced as you go about your day. If the piece is too small, you won’t have any issues inserting your hearing aid, but if you shake your head or lean forward, it will come loose or fall out.

Foam tips need to be replaced every 2-3 weeks and silicone every 4-6 months. If you haven’t replaced yours in a while, this might be part of the issue. If your molds were custom-made to fit your ear, they might need to be refitted.

3. Check how you’re inserting your hearing aids

Sometimes, the reason for hearing aids not staying in your ear can be as simple as not inserting them correctly. If your hearing aids are custom-made, make sure you’re inserting them properly and into the correct ear.

The hearing aid should be flush in your ear canal, or with your outer ear lobe if your hearing aids are a larger size. If your hearing aids don’t feel like they’re sliding in correctly, try again or check in a mirror to make sure they’re going in and sitting correctly. It can be helpful to also refer to your owner’s manual.

4. Check for earwax

If your hearing aids have already been fitted and inserted properly, the issue could potentially be earwax build-up in your ear. If you have ear wax build-up, it could be pushing your hearing aids out of your ears. While there are ways to safely remove earwax yourself, it’s recommended to have your doctor check for the wax buildup to avoid damaging the inside of your ears.

5. Prevent movement with hearing aid accessories

If you lead a particularly active lifestyle, it might simply be more difficult for your hearing aids to stay in after an extended period of activity or exercise, especially if it leads to sweating which can displace your hearing aids. There are plenty of hearing aid accessories out there to help with this—or just to have an extra sense of security altogether—such as headbands, straps, or clips to keep your hearing aids safely in your ears.

6. Consider new hearing aids

If your current set of hearing aids are over five years old, this can contribute to your hearing aids not staying in your ear. Hearing aids and molds should be replaced every 5-7 years, and as your ear canals can start to change after years of wearing hearing aids, this could be the issue if you’re having problems with a pair that was once reliable.

In Summary

There are various ways in which you can prevent your hearing aids from falling out, but the first step is to determine what is causing your hearing aids to fall out. Addressing the cause, whether it be an excess of ear wax, incorrect positioning, or a certain activity, will ensure you have a comfortable hearing experience.

While these are common scenarios of why a hearing aid won’t stay in your ear, it’s not an all-inclusive list. If you find that none of these situations pertain to you—or you continue to have problems even after determining the cause—consulting with an audiologist or other professional may be needed.