While it may be true that older hearing aids are better than nothing, it’s likely that what small advantage you get from them comes at a cost. Hearing aid technology has advanced a great deal in the past few years! It’s gone to digital from analog, for one thing, and there are features today that weren’t even on the drawing board a decade ago.
If you’re thinking about upgrading your hearing aids, there are a few things you’ll need to do to choose the right ones for your needs. A hearing test to ascertain how your hearing has changed will be needed first. Your choices will start to be narrowed down after we establish your current degree of hearing loss. Here are some reasons why it’s most likely time to upgrade.
Hearing aid dependability
Older or even low-quality hearing aids have significant issues, like that aggravating buzz you hear every once in a while. What about when you go near a phone and your hearing aids begin to feedback? At times, they will squeal with feedback for no evident reason. Newer models compensate for common problems so that you hear feedback less frequently.
Volume isn’t enough
A decade ago hearing aids chiefly focused on fixing the volume. Hearing aids have much more technology and capability nowadays.
- Improved sound quality: Today’s hearing aids offer much higher sound quality than older models. This is due to advances in digital signal processing, which allows hearing aids to more precisely reproduce sound. Modern hearing aids also often feature custom programs that are set for specific environments.
- Bluetooth capability: This feature allows hearing aids to sync to other devices, including smartphones, TVs, and other smart devices. This can be useful for streaming music or making phone calls.
- Voice focus: Some hearing aids also provide voice focus, which helps the wearer to focus on the voices they choose to hear. This is accomplished by utilizing directional microphones to detect the sound of the desired voice and then boost it. Voice focus can be useful in noisy environments or when the user is attempting to hear somebody who is talking softly.
- Background noise reduction: Contemporary hearing aids use a variety of techniques to reduce background noise, and that includes directional microphones, noise filters, and feedback nullification. Directional microphones center on the sound coming from the front of the wearer, while noise filters decrease unwanted sounds from all directions. When your hearing aid isn’t correctly fitted, a whistling sound can take place which will be prevented by feedback cancellation.
Frequent battery replacing
When we’re thinking about a hearing aid upgrade, price is always a factor. The new technology is not cheap, but neither is wearing old, out-of-date hearing aids. The batteries in analog devices go dead and need to be replaced frequently. If you’re replacing the battery every day, or even more often than that, the expense adds up.
Old hearing aids can potentially spend more time getting repaired, too. Think of what a 1990 Chevy would be like and apply that idea to hearing aids. It’s in for repair more than it’s in your ear and the repairs aren’t inexpensive.
You can’t hear your coworkers
Research reveals that people with untreated hearing loss will have a lower income. Obviously, your career would be improved by wearing better hearing aids. You will hear your boss and customers clearer. You won’t have to worry about whether you will miss critical information or guidelines.
And with stronger communication, you will have a better quality of life. You’ll be capable of communicating with people again. Get right back into being socially connected.
You want something more subtle
When you look in the mirror at your old hearing aid, what words come to mind? Awkward? Obvious? OMG? Flexibility and style are some of the most considerable reasons to replace 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 small enough that it will go unseen by others.
It’s time to consider 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. Give us a call today to talk about your options.