Things have changed since your great, great grandpa held an ear trumpet up to his ear. Modern hearing aids are capable of so much more than they could do even a decade ago. The advancement of hearing aid tech allows users to do activities that seemed impossible in the past. Hearing aids can now do the following things.
1. Prevent Accidental Damage While Exercising
Jogging or riding a bike while wearing a hearing aid would have been unheard of in the past. Even the highest quality hearing aids can be damaged if they fall out while you are exercising. Today whether you are an athlete or beginner it is possible to exercise while wearing your hearing aids.
The change here is not in the technology, though. Hearing aids that fall out can still get damaged or lost. Innovation wins out with a straightforward concept: hearing aid retention cords. Consider it a lanyard for your hearing aids. They clip to your clothes and slide on to the hearing aid as a security measure. Hearing aid retention cords area great option for kids, too.
2. Resist Water
Most hearing aids don’t do well when fully submerged despite the fact that they are water resistant. Waterproof hearing aids and some accessories will be needed if you plan to swim with your hearing aid.
Begin with a protective covering for your hearing aids. Waterproof Sleeves fit securely over the devices to shield them from water damage while still allowing you to hear. Many of the sleeves come with cords that attach to your clothing too, so you won’t lose the hearing aids when you are enjoying some summer fun.
A dehumidifier is another piece of equipment you may want to invest in. It doesn’t matter how careful you are, some water is going to get inside the case. The device gets dried out by the dehumidifier without causing damage to the sensitive components.
3. Pair With Your Smartphone
Now when your phone rings you won’t need to remove your hearing aids. However, certain brands don’t have this feature. Wireless streaming capability and Bluetooth enabling are features you will want to consider when buying new hearing aids. The same way that earbuds or headphones use Bluetooth to connect to your phone, these kinds of hearing aids also do that.
Interested in streaming a movie? Wireless comes in handy in this situation, too. Sound from your MP3 player or TV can be received by a hearing aid that has Bluetooth technology.
The majority of hearing aids come with a telephone adaptation, as well, that works for cell phones or landlines. Telephone adaptation makes use of a telecoil to receive signals from the phones so you can hear them through your hearing aids.
4. Learn
That’s right, machine learning features are available in many models. Some devices can remember what volume you prefer in different situations and will make the adjustment without you having to do anything, for example.
You can also just press a button and recall a specific setup stored in one of the multiple programs.
5. Getting Rid of The Ringing
Hearing loss and tinnitus go hand in hand for many people. You will hear sounds better because your hearing aid can produce tinnitus masking noises. The ringing will disappear after the masking sound cancels the tinnitus. Tinnitus masking is a particular feature, though, and not available from all brands. If you are shopping for hearing aids, and want this feature, you will have to ask for it.
6. Store Data
Data logging is one of the newer functions in hearing aid technology but a powerful one. The devices log things like when you use the hearing aids, times you make volume adjustments and what background noises you encounter.
Critical adjustments can be made when your audiologist or hearing aid retailer pull up this data bettering sound quality.
7. Go Remote
Hearing aids with remotes enable you to quickly change programs, adjust the volume or even act as a Bluetooth streaming device.
All of these features enable you to do things that were impossible years ago despite the fact that they aren’t all brand new. Also, progress in hearing aid technology is always being made. Be certain to check out the latest features when you go shopping for a new hearing aid. Schedule an appointment with a hearing care professional to see them all.