While it might be true that older hearing aids are better than no hearing aids, it’s likely that what little advantage you get from them comes at a cost. Within the past few years, hearing aid technology has made considerable advancements. It’s gone to digital from analog, for one thing, and there are features now that weren’t even in the design phase 10 years ago.
If you’re thinking about upgrading your hearing aids, there are a number of things you’ll have to do in order to select the best ones for your needs. First, you’ll need to have a hearing test to determine if your level of hearing loss has changed. Once you know how much hearing loss you’re dealing with, you can begin to get a clearer look at your options. It’s probably time for an upgrade for the following reasons.
Reliability of hearing aids
Older or even low-quality hearing aids have real problems, such as that irritating buzz you hear every now and then. What about when you go next to a phone and your hearing aids begin to feedback? Sometimes, there’s a shrill feedback noise that seems to come out of nowhere, too. Your feedback will be considerably reduced with newer models which have features that compensate for common issues.
Volume isn’t enough
A decade ago hearing aids chiefly focused on correcting the volume. Hearing aids have much more technology and capability nowadays.
- Background noise reduction: Modern hearing aids use numerous strategies to decrease background noise, including directional microphones, noise filters, and feedback nullification. Noise filters reduce unwanted sound while directional microphones are designed to detect sound directly in front of you. Feedback cancellation helps to prevent the whistling sound that can manifest when hearing aids are not 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. The sound of the desired voice is picked up and amplified by directionally set microphones. Voice focus can be helpful in noisy environments or when the user is attempting to hear somebody who is speaking softly.
- Bluetooth capability: This feature lets hearing aids sync to other devices, including smartphones, TVs, and other smart devices. This can be useful for streaming music or making phone calls.
- Improved sound quality: Today’s hearing aids offer much better sound quality than older models. This is because of advances in digital signal processing, which allows hearing aids to more accurately reproduce sound. Modern hearing aids also often feature custom programs that are set for specific settings.
Frequent battery replacement
Price is always a consideration in terms of a hearing aid upgrade. You may think that upgrading your hearing aid will be too expensive, but old antiquated hearing aids can be expensive as well. The batteries in analog devices go dead and need to be replaced frequently. If you’re replacing the battery every day, or even more frequently than that, the cost adds up.
Out-dated hearing aids malfunction and need to go to the shop for repair more often. If you think of your hearing aid as a 1992 Buick, you get the concept. The costs of the constant repairs can get quickly out of hand.
You’re not capable of hearing at work
Research has shown that hearing loss can mean a reduced income. Doesn’t it seem sensible then, that better hearing aids would be a career advantage? You’ll have a better time hearing what clients, coworkers, and your boss are saying to you. You won’t have to be concerned about whether you’ll miss critical information or guidelines.
And with stronger communication, you will have a better quality of life. You’ll be able to communicate with people again. Get right back into being socially engaged.
You want something more subtle
When you look in the mirror at your outdated hearing aid, what comes to mind? Clunky? Obvious? OMG? Flexibility and style are some of the most considerable reasons to upgrade those outdated hearing aids. Modern hearing aids come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. You could either get one in your favorite color and make a fashion statement or get one discrete enough that it will go unobserved by others.
If you’re considering investing in new hearing aids, or if you already have them but you’re not happy with the results, consider upgrading to a newer model. The things that contemporary technology has allowed hearing aids to do wasn’t even possible before. Contact us today to talk about your options.