Getting The Most From Your Hearing Aids

If you’re not very wealthy, a car really isn’t an impulse purchase. Which means you will most likely do a great deal of research ahead of time. You look at reviews, you compare prices, and you consider gas mileage. (You’re on Google a lot.) It makes sense to do this level of research. For most people who aren’t rich, it will take a long time to pay off the thousands of dollars you will spend. So you want to make certain your investment is well spent.

Not only do you look at the objective factors (gas mileage, safety, etc), but you’ll also give thought to best fits for your lifestyle. What style of vehicle do you want? Do you need a lot of space to carry supplies around? How much power do you want to feel when you push down that accelerator?

So you need to take a close look at all of your options and make some informed decisions so that you can get the most from your purchase. And when you’re selecting new hearing aids, it’s essential to have this same attitude. They may not cost tens of thousands of dollars, but they are an investment. Figuring out which device will fit your lifestyle best and which device works best in general, is the best way to get the most out of your investment.

The advantages of hearing aids

In exactly the same way that you can talk about the benefits of a car in a very general way, you can also talk about the benefits of hearing aids in a similarly broad way. Hearing aids are a great investment!

Yes, they help you hear, but for most people, the advantages are more tangible than that. With a set of hearing aids, you can remain connected to the people in your life. You’ll be able to better follow conversations during dinner, listen to your grandkids tell you about fascinating dinosaurs, and chit-chat with the checkout clerk at the grocery store.

With all these benefits, it seems sensible that you’d start to ask, “How can I make my hearing aids last longer?” You want to keep those benefits going!

Are higher quality hearing aids always more costly?

There might be some individuals out there who would presume that the most effective way to make your hearing aid work better and last longer is to just buy the most high priced device possible.

Hearing aids are certainly an investment. There’s a reason why some devices are costly in the first place:

• Hearing aids are made to include very sophisticated technologies, and they need to make those technologies as tiny as possible. So the package you’re paying for is extremely technologically potent.
• Hearing aids are also designed to last for a long time. Particularly if you take care of them.

But that doesn’t mean the most expensive option will automatically work best. How profound your hearing loss is and, obviously, what you can afford are a couple of the variables to consider. Do some hearing aids last longer than others? Certainly! But the price of the device isn’t always the deciding factor.

In order to keep your hearing aids in good working order, as with any other investment, they will call for regular care and maintenance. Also, your hearing loss is distinct to you and your hearing aids will need to be tuned to your right requirements.

Get the correct hearing aids for your hearing loss

So, what are your choices? When it comes to hearing aids, you’ll have numerous different styles and kinds to pick from. We can help you determine which hearing aids will be best for your hearing needs. Here are the options you will have to choose from:

• Completely-in-the-Canal Hearing Aids (CIC): These kinds of hearing aids can deliver high-quality sound and are usually quite discrete (great for people who want to hide their hearing aids). But with this type of hearing aid, battery life, and overall lifespan is usually shorter. And some of the most state-of-the-art functions tend to be missing because of their smaller size.
• In-the-Canal Hearing Aids (ITC): These hearing aids are specifically molded to fit your ear canal, which makes them mostly hidden. Because they’re a bit larger than CIC models, they may contain more high-tech functions. These devices are still rather small and some of the features can be a bit tricky to manipulate by hand. If you want your hearing aid to be discrete but also contain some advanced functions, this type will be appropriate.
• In-the-Ear Hearing Aids: These devices are also molded to your ears. No part of the device sits inside your ear canal, it all fits in your outer ear. Two types are available (full shell, which fits your whole ear, or half shell, which sits in the lower ear). These hearing aids are more exposed but can include sophisticated and powerful microphones, making them an excellent option for noise control or complex hearing problems.
• Behind-the-Ear Hearing Aids (BTE): The speaker of this device fits in your ear and the more bulky electronic part sits behind your ear making them the best of both worlds in a way. The pieces are connected by a small tube, but in general, it’s pretty non-visible. These hearing aids offer many amplification options making them quite popular. When you want the best of both power and visibility, these devices will be the best option.
• Receiving-in-the-Canal (or in the Ear) Hearing Aids (RIC or RITE): With this model, the speaker part sits in the ear canal but they are otherwise similar to BTE models. They have the benefit of decreasing wind noise and are generally less visible.
• Open-Fit Hearing Aids: Open-fit hearing aids will let low-frequency sounds enter the ear even while you’re hearing the device. This makes them a good fit for people who can hear those low-frequencies fairly well (but have problems with high-frequency sounds). Though it works well for many people, it won’t be a good option for everybody.

How about over-the-counter hearing aids?

Another option to think about is OTC or over-the-counter hearing aids. The trouble is that OTC hearing aids are kind of like OTC medications, they work fine in a basic sense. But it’s likely that OTC hearing aids won’t have the power you require if your hearing loss is more advanced or complex. Prescription hearing aids can be calibrated to your specific hearing needs which is a feature generally not available with OTC hearing aids.

The best way to find out what type of hearing aid will be best for you, you should talk with us.

Repair and maintenance

Obviously, once you’ve gone to all the trouble to select your perfect hearing aid type, you need to take care of it. Just like your car needs oil changes once in a while.

So how frequently will your hearing aids need to be assessed? You should get your hearing aid cleaned and properly maintained every six months to a year. By doing this you can be sure everything is in good working order.

You should also get familiar with your warranty. You will save some money when you are aware of what is and isn’t covered. So now you’re wondering: how do I make my hearing aids last longer? The answer is usually simple: good upkeep and a strong warranty.

Is there a hearing aid that’s the best?

There is no single best all-time hearing aid. If you go to twelve different hearing specialists and ask for the “best” hearing aid, they might provide you with a dozen different models.

Which hearing aids match your hearing loss requirements will be the ones that are best for you. Just like with a vehicle, for some an SUV will be best, and for others, a minivan will best fit their lifestyles. The same goes with hearing aids, it just depends on your specific situation.

But the more you know ahead of time and the better informed you are, the easier it will be to find the hearing aids that are perfect for you. Schedule a hearing exam with us today!