Cell Phones

• If you hear a buzzing sound when you use your cellphone, that's an example of interference. Take your cell phone with you when you're kitted out for a new hearing aid. Same with the cell phone. If you're buying a new phone, make sure you've got your hearing aid with you--and not just because you won't hear the sales person's patter, but to check for interference. Cell phone and hearing aid circuitry is getting better all the time, so it's less of a problem than it used to be.
  
  

X-ray Radiation

• X-ray radiation (e.g., CT scans, MRI scans) can cause interference and stop the device from working too. Remove hearing aids and keep them outside the room during these procedures.
  
  

What to Do

• If you suspect that the hearing aid is causing interference to radio or television equipment, turn the hearing aid off and see if you can confirm, by elimination, that that is indeed the cause. Try to correct the interference by re-orienting the receiving antenna; move away from the radio or television with your hearing aid on; try plugging the radio or TV into a different wall outlet; replace the hearing aid batteries. If none of these measures work, take the hearing aid back to the dealer.
  
  

Government Controls

• Hearing aids purchased in the US should comply with the Federal Communication Commission's certification. This certification confirms that the device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules governing interference. The unit may not cause harmful interference and the unit mustn't accept any interference--including interference that may cause "undesired operation." The device should have been tested, and assuming you got the device in the US and didn't buy the hearing aid in some bazaar on a medical tourism trip, you have some assurance that it has been built for minimal interference.
  
  

Take Care of It

• Protect the unit from moisture and don't swim with your hearing aid in.