If you’re still wearing your older hearing aids, they may be better than no hearing aids, but they also may be costing you in some ways. Within the past few years, hearing aid technology has made substantial progress. A decade ago many of the features of current hearing aids weren’t even in development, going digital for instance.
When you determine it’s time to upgrade, choosing the correct one will take some planning. First, you’ll need to have a hearing test to find out if your level of hearing loss has changed. Once you know how much hearing loss you’re dealing with, you can begin to narrow down your options. Here are a few reasons why it’s probably time to upgrade.
Hearing aid reliability
Every once in a while you’ll get an irritating buzz or other problems with older or low-quality hearing aids. What about when you get next to a phone and your hearing aids start to feedback? Frequently, they will squeal with feedback for no evident reason. Your feedback will be significantly diminished with newer models which have features that compensate for common problems.
Volume isn’t enough
Volume control was about the only function of hearing aids ten years ago. Today, hearing aids are equipped with much better technology.
- Bluetooth capability: Tvs, cellphones, and other equipped devices can now be synced to your hearing aid. This can be useful for streaming music or making phone calls.
- Voice focus: Some hearing aids also offer voice focus, which helps the wearer to focus on the voices they want to hear. This is accomplished by using directional microphones to pick up the sound of the desired voice and then boost it. When somebody is speaking quietly or in a loud setting, voice focus can be quite helpful.
- Improved sound quality: Older hearing aid models had far lower quality of sound than modern-day models. This is because of advances in digital signal processing, which allows hearing aids to more accurately duplicate sound. Modern hearing aids also frequently offer custom programs that are preset for specific situations.
- Background noise reduction: Modern hearing aids use a variety of techniques to decrease background noise, and that includes directional microphones, noise filters, and feedback cancellation. Directional microphones center on the sound coming from the front of the user, while noise filters minimize undesirable sounds from all directions. Feedback cancellation helps to prevent the whistling sound that can take place when hearing aids aren’t fitted properly.
You have to switch out the batteries – a lot
When we’re talking about a hearing aid upgrade, cost is always a consideration. You might think that updating your hearing aid will cost too much, but old antiquated hearing aids can be costly also. The batteries in analog devices die and need to be replaced frequently. The expenses will add up, particularly if you have to switch out batteries every day or more.
Out-of-date hearing aids can potentially spend more time at the shop, too. If you think of 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 are not cheap.
You’re not able to hear at work
Studies show that hearing loss can mean a lower paycheck. Naturally, your career would be improved by wearing better hearing aids. You’ll have a better time hearing what customers, coworkers, and your boss are saying to you. You won’t have to worry about whether you’ll miss significant information or instructions.
And with stronger communication, you will have a better quality of life. You’ll be capable of communicating with people again. Dive in and engage with the people around you.
You’re looking for something more subtle
What do you think when you look in the mirror and see that old hearing aid? Clunky? Obvious? OMG? Style and flexibility are some of the most considerable reasons to replace those outdated hearing aids. Modern hearing aids come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors. You can have one tucked into your ear so no one will ever notice it, or you can make a fashion statement with a visible hearing aid in a color you love.
It’s time to think about upgrading your hearing aids if you’re unhappy with the results you’re getting from your old set. The things that modern technology has allowed hearing aids to do wasn’t even possible before. Get in touch with us for a consultation.