If you’re still wearing your older hearing aids, they might be better than no hearing aids, but they also could be costing you in some ways. Within the last few years, hearing aid technology has made considerable progress. It’s gone from analog to digital, for one thing, and there are features today that weren’t even on the drawing board 10 years ago.
If you’re considering upgrading your hearing aids, there are a number of things you’ll need to do in order to select the right ones for your needs. A hearing test to ascertain how your hearing has changed will be necessary first. Your choices will begin to be narrowed down after we identify your current degree of hearing loss. Here are a few reasons why it’s most likely time to upgrade.
Reliability of hearing aids
Every once in a while you’ll get an aggravating buzz or other problems with older or low-quality hearing aids. How about when you go near a phone and your hearing aids begin to feedback? Occasionally, there’s a shrill feedback noise that seems to happen out of nowhere, too. Your feedback will be considerably diminished with newer models which have features that compensate for common problems.
Volume isn’t enough
Volume regulation was about the only function of hearing aids a decade ago. Hearing aids have a lot more technology and capability nowadays.
- Bluetooth capability: This feature lets hearing aids connect to other devices, including smartphones, TVs, and other smart devices. This can be helpful for streaming music or making phone calls.
- Background noise reduction: Feedback cancellation, noise filters, and directional microphones are a few of the many techniques used by contemporary hearing aids. Directional microphones focus on the sound coming from the front of the user, while noise filters minimize undesirable noises from all directions. Feedback cancellation helps to prevent the whistling sound that can manifest when hearing aids aren’t properly fitted.
- Voice focus: With some newer models the wearer can use a voice focusing feature that allows them to focus on particular voices they want to hear. This is accomplished by using directional microphones to pick up the sound of the desired voice and then amplify it. Voice focus can be useful in noisy environments or when the wearer is trying to hear someone who is talking softly.
- Improved sound quality: Older hearing aid models had far lower quality of sound than modern-day models. This is the result of advances in digital signal processing, which allows hearing aids to more accurately reproduce sound. In addition, many hearing aids now provide features including numerous programs that can be tailored to different listening environments.
Frequent battery replacing
Cost is always a consideration when it comes to upgrading your hearing aids. The new technology is not inexpensive, but neither is using old, out-of-date hearing aids. Analog devices need new batteries a lot. The expenses will add up, particularly if you need to replace batteries daily or more.
Old hearing aids break down and need to go to the shop for repair more frequently. If you view your hearing aid as a 1992 Buick, you get the concept. It’s in the shop more than it’s in your ear and the repairs aren’t inexpensive.
You can’t hear your coworkers
Research reveals that individuals with neglected hearing loss will have a lower income. Obviously, your career would benefit from wearing better hearing aids. You’ll have an easier time hearing what customers, coworkers, and your boss are saying to you. You will follow directions without wondering if you got it right and have essential discussions without worrying about whether your hearing aids will hold up or not.
Clearly, stronger communication means a better quality of life, also. You don’t have to sit by yourself in the middle of discussions anymore. Dive in and connect with the people around you.
You want a smaller hearing aid
What do you think when you look in the mirror and see that outdated hearing aid? Clunky? Obvious? OMG? Style and flexibility are some of the most considerable reasons to replace those old hearing aids. A number of shapes, styles, and sizes are available in modern hearing aids. You can have one nestled into your ear so nobody will ever notice it, or you can make a fashion statement with a visible hearing aid in a color you love.
If you’re considering investing in new hearing aids, or if you’re already wearing them but you’re unhappy with the results, consider upgrading to a newer model. The things that modern technology has allowed hearing aids to do was never possible before. Get in touch with us for a consultation.