How to Put In and Take Out Hearing Aids: Step by Step

It gets easier with practice

Putting hearing aids in can feel fiddly at first, especially with small parts, stiff fingers or reduced eyesight. That is normal. The US National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) advises practising putting in and taking out the aid, cleaning it, identifying the right and left aids and replacing the batteries with your hearing care professional.

This guide covers the general steps for the two most common styles: behind-the-ear hearing aids with a thin tube, and receiver-in-canal hearing aids with a thin wire. Custom in-ear hearing aids are shaped differently and have their own steps. Always follow the user instructions for your own model. For an overview of styles, see hearing aid types explained.

Before you start

• Sit down at a table with a soft towel in front of you, so a dropped hearing aid lands softly.
• Good light and, if you use them, your reading glasses.
• Clean, dry hands. Put on hand cream or sunscreen after, not before.
• Switch on or take out of the charger as your model requires.
• A mirror can help in the first weeks.

Step 1: Left or right?

If you have two hearing aids, they are not interchangeable. Philips advises making sure you know which hearing aid goes on each ear, and says its hearing aids are marked with blue for the left ear and red for the right ear. The colour can be shown as text, a dot or the colour of the shell, and on some models it is inside the battery drawer.

Other makes may mark left and right differently, so check your own device. A small coloured sticker on the case can help too.

Step 2: Put it in (behind-the-ear and receiver-in-canal)

These steps follow the general guidance Philips gives for its behind-the-ear and receiver-in-canal hearing aids:

1. Place the body behind your ear. The main part of the hearing aid sits on top of and behind the ear.
2. Hold the wire or tube at the bend. Philips describes holding the bend of the speaker wire or thin plastic tube between your thumb and index finger, with the earpiece pointing towards the ear canal.
3. Open the ear canal and push gently. Philips advises gently pulling your ear outwards and pushing the earpiece into the ear canal, twisting slightly if necessary.
4. Check the wire or tube. It should lie close to the side of your head, not stick out.

If it feels awkward, take it out and try again slowly. Forcing it does not help.

Step 3: Check comfort and sound

Once both hearing aids are in:

• Comfort: they should feel secure, not painful. A new earpiece can feel unfamiliar for a while.
• Whistling: the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) explains that feedback happens when a hearing aid does not fit well and suggests a check-up appointment. If it whistles once it is in place, try putting it in again, and mention it if it continues.
• Sound: speak a few words or ask someone to talk to you in a quiet room.

Step 4: Take it out

Philips describes the reverse order:

1. Lift the body of the hearing aid off your ear and let it hang down in front of the ear.
2. Hold the wire or tube near the earpiece and gently ease the earpiece out of the ear canal.
3. Do not pull on the wire or tube alone if the earpiece feels stuck; take hold close to the earpiece instead.

Then wipe the hearing aid and put it in its charger or case. See how to clean hearing aids.

If a dome or earpiece stays in your ear, do not try to dig it out yourself. Contact a doctor.

Common difficulties and what helps

• Hard to grip: ask whether a different earpiece, handle or style may be easier to manage. Handling ability is part of choosing a hearing aid.
• Hard to see the markings: add a coloured mark to the case, or keep left and right in separate, labelled spots.
• The earpiece will not stay in: the size or type of dome may need checking. Mention it at a follow-up. See follow-up and adjustments.
• Glasses: put your glasses on after the hearing aids, and take them off first, slowly, so they do not pull the hearing aids out.

When it hurts

Hearing aids should not hurt. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists an ear that feels painful or uncomfortable among reasons to see a doctor. If your ear is sore, red or has discharge, stop wearing the hearing aid on that side and contact a doctor.

If someone helps you

A family member or caregiver can learn the same steps. Ask them to stand behind or beside you, explain each step aloud and let you do as much as you can yourself. See hearing-aid care for home caregivers.

Getting used to new hearing aids takes time. The NHS says it may take a few weeks or months to get used to them. See your first weeks with new hearing aids.