How to Get The Most From Your Hearing Aids

A car isn’t really an impulse buy (unless you’re really rich). So a lot of research is probably the first step you take. You check out reviews, you compare prices, and you consider gas mileage. (You’re on Google a lot.) This amount of research is logical! For most individuals who aren’t rich, it will take a while to pay off the thousands of dollars you’re about to spend. So you want to be certain it’s worth it!

Not only do you consider the objective factors (gas mileage, safety, etc), but you’ll also think about best fits for your lifestyle. Is there a particular type of vehicle you really like? How much room do you require for weekly groceries? How much pep do you want to feel when you press down that accelerator?

So you should have a close look at all of your possibilities and make some informed decisions in order to get the most from your investment. And that’s the same mindset you should take when selecting your hearing aids. They won’t cost tens of thousands of dollars, but they’re still an investment. And getting the most from your investment means determining which devices work best, in general, as well as what delivers the most for your lifestyle.

Hearing aid benefits

The example of the benefits of investing in hearing aids can be broadly compared with the example of purchasing a car. Hearing aids are a great investment!

The benefits of hearing aids, for most people, are more tangible than just helping you hear. With a pair of hearing aids, you can remain connected to the people in your life. You’ll have an easier time chatting with the clerk at the pharmacy, listening to a tale about dinosaurs at the dinner table with your grandchildren, and enjoying conversations with friends.

It’s only natural that you would want to make your hearing aids last as long as you can given all of the benefits. You don’t want those benefits to go away.

Do more costly hearing aids work better?

Some individuals might think that they can only get a quality hearing aid if they get the most expensive device.

And, to be certain, hearing aids can be an investment. Here are a couple of reasons why some hearing aids might be expensive:

• Hearing aids are designed to contain very advanced technologies, and they need to make those technologies as small as possible. That means you’re purchasing a very potent technological package.
• They’re designed to be long-lasting. If you take good care of them this is especially true.

But that doesn’t mean the most costly option will inevitably work best. How severe 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? Of Course! But that isn’t always dictated by how costly the device was in the first place.

In order to keep your hearing aids in good working condition, as with any other investment, they will need regular care and maintenance. What’s more, your hearing aids will need to be calibrated to your ears and calibrated for your unique level of hearing loss.

Be sure you get the right hearing aids for you

What choices do you have? You’ll be able to choose from several different styles and types. We can help you identify which hearing aids will be best for your hearing requirements. But in general, here’s what you’ll have to select from:

• Completely-in-the-Canal Hearing Aids (CIC): These types of hearing aids can provide high-quality sound and are usually quite discrete (perfect for individuals who want to hide their hearing aids). But with this type of hearing aid, battery life, and overall longevity tends to be shorter. And some of the most sophisticated functions tend to be missing due to their smaller size.
• In-the-Canal Hearing Aids (ITC): These hearing aids are mostly discrete because they are molded to your ear canal. They will often have more high-tech functions being a little bigger than CIC models. These devices are still pretty small and some of the features can be a little tricky to manipulate by hand. If you want your hearing aid to be discrete but also have some advanced functions, this style will be appropriate.
• In-the-Ear Hearing Aids: This type of hearing aid is molded to fit completely inside your outer ear. A “half shell” version sits in your lower ear and a “full shell” version fits completely in your ear. These hearing aids are more visible but can contain sophisticated and powerful microphones, making them an excellent option for noise control or complex hearing issues.
• Behind-the-Ear Hearing Aids (BTE): The speaker of this device fits in your ear and the more bulky electronic part goes behind your ear making them the best of both worlds in a way. The little tube that connects the two elements is still fairly discrete. These devices are popular because they offer many amplification options. These types are a great compromise between visibility and power.
• Receiving-in-the-Canal (or in the Ear) Hearing Aids (RIC or RITE): With this design, the speaker part sits in the ear canal but they are otherwise a lot like BTE models. This makes them even less visible, with the additional benefit of decreasing things like wind noise.
• Open-Fit Hearing Aids: Open-fit hearing aids will allow low-frequency sounds to enter the ear even while you’re hearing the device. This makes them suitable for people who can hear those low-frequencies fairly well (but have difficulty with high-frequency sounds). Though it works well for many individuals, it won’t be a good option for everybody.

Pros and Cons of over-the-counter hearing aids

Over-the-counter hearing aids (or OTC hearing aids, to keep flooding you with acronyms) are yet another alternative to think about. OTC hearing aids work fine in general, much like OTC medications. But if your hearing loss calls for a set of more powerful hearing aids or more specialized hearing aids, OTC devices might fall a bit short. Generally, OTC hearing aids can’t be specifically calibrated to your hearing in the same way that prescription hearing aids can.

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

Repair and upkeep

Obviously, once you’ve taken all of the steps to select your perfect hearing aid type, you should take care of it. This is, once again, like a car which also needs upkeep.

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

It’s also a good idea to be somewhat familiar with your device’s warranty. If and when you require repair, knowing what’s covered by that warranty and what’s not can save you some cash! A strong warranty and regular maintenance will help your hearing last as long as possible.

So… what is the best hearing aid?

There’s no single best hearing aid. If you go to twelve different hearing specialists and ask for the “best” hearing aid, they may provide you with a dozen different models.

The secret is to choose the best hearing aid for you and for your personal requirements. Some individuals will go with a minivan, others for an SUV. It all just depends, and the same is true for hearing aids.

But you will have an easier time choosing the hearing aid that’s best for you if you are well informed beforehand. Give us a call to schedule a consultation today!