While it could be true that older hearing aids are better than nothing, chances are what small benefit you get from them may be costly. Within the past few years, hearing aid technology has made significant progress. It’s changed from analog to digital, for one thing, and there are features currently that weren’t even in the design phase a decade ago.
If you’re thinking about upgrading your hearing aids, there are a number of things you’ll need to do in order to choose the best ones for your needs. A hearing exam to determine how your hearing has changed will be needed first. Your choices will start to be narrowed down when we identify your current degree of hearing loss. It’s probably time for an upgrade for the following reasons.
Hearing aid dependability
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 get next to a phone and your hearing aids start to feedback? At times, they will squeal with feedback for no evident reason. Newer designs compensate for prevalent issues so that you hear feedback less often.
Volume isn’t enough
A decade ago hearing aids chiefly focused on fixing the volume. Nowadays, hearing aids are loaded with much better technology.
- Improved sound quality: Today’s hearing aids provide much better sound quality than older models. Signal processing has gone to digital, which reproduces and amplifies sound in a more precise way. Modern hearing aids also frequently feature custom programs that are set for specific environments.
- Voice focus: Some hearing aids also provide voice focus, which helps the user to focus on the voices they want to hear. This is done by using directional microphones to pick up the sound of the desired voice and then amplify it. Voice focus can be helpful in loud settings or when the wearer is attempting to hear somebody who is speaking softly.
- Background noise reduction: Modern hearing aids use numerous techniques to decrease background noise, including directional microphones, noise filters, and feedback nullification. Directional microphones center on the sound coming from the front of the wearer, while noise filters decrease undesirable sounds from all directions. When your hearing aid is not properly fitted, a whistling sound can take place which will be eliminated by feedback nullification.
- Bluetooth capability: This feature allows hearing aids to sync to other devices, like smartphones, TVs, and other smart devices. This can be helpful for streaming music or making phone calls.
You have to switch out the batteries – frequently
Price is always a factor in terms of upgrading your hearing aids. You might think that updating your hearing aid will cost too much, but old outdated hearing aids can be expensive also. Analog devices require new batteries frequently. If you are replacing the battery on a daily basis, or even more often than that, the expense adds up.
Out-of-date hearing aids can oftentimes spend more time at the shop, also. If you view your hearing aid as a 1992 Buick, you get the idea. The costs of the continual repairs can get quickly out of hand.
You’re not capable of hearing at work
Research has shown that hearing loss can mean a lower paycheck. Doesn’t it make sense then, that better hearing aids would be a career asset? You will hear your boss and customers better. You will follow instructions without questioning if you got it right and have important conversations without being concerned about whether your hearing aids will cut out or not.
And with better communication, you will have a better quality of life. You don’t need to sit like a wallflower in the middle of conversations anymore. 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? Awkward? Obvious? OMG? Flexibility and style are some of the most compelling reasons to replace those old hearing aids. A number of shapes, styles, and sizes are available in contemporary hearing aids. 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 your favorite color.
It’s time to think about upgrading your hearing aids if you’re unhappy with the results you’re getting from your old pair. The things that contemporary technology has allowed hearing aids to do was never possible before. Call us today to discuss your options.
