How to Get The Most From Your Hearing Aids

A car isn’t really an impulse purchase (unless you’re very, very rich). Which means you will most likely do a lot of research first. You have a good look at things like gas mileage, overall price, and customer reviews. (You’re on Google a lot.) This amount of research is logical! You’re about to drop tens of thousands of dollars on something and spend years paying it off (unless, again, you are very rich). So you want to make sure your investment is well spent.

Not only do you consider the concrete factors (gas mileage, safety, etc), but you’ll also think about best fits for your lifestyle. What style of vehicle do you want? Do you need a lot of space to carry things around? How much pep do you want to feel when you push down that accelerator?

So you need to have a close look at all of your options and make some informed decisions so that you can get the most out of your investment. And when you’re selecting new hearing aids, it’s essential to have this same attitude. They’re still an investment although they cost much less than a new car. Identifying 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.

Hearing aid advantages

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

Yes, they help you hear, but for most individuals, the benefits are more tangible than that. Staying connected with your friends and family will be much easier with a good set of hearing aids. You’ll be able to better follow conversations at the dinner table, listen to your grandkids tell you about cool dinosaurs, and converse with the checkout clerk at the grocery store.

With all these benefits, it makes sense that you’d begin 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?

Some individuals might think that they can only get a quality hearing aid if they get the highest-priced device.

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

• The technology inside of a hearing aid is very small and very advanced. So the package you’re purchasing is extremely technologically potent.
• They’re made to be long-lasting. Especially if you take care of them.

But the most expensive model won’t automatically be your best fit or work the best. How severe your hearing loss is and, of course, your budget are a couple of the variables to think about. Do some hearing aids last longer than others? Of Course! But that isn’t always determined by how costly the device was in the first place.

As with any other investment, hearing aids will need regular maintenance in order to keep working effectively. What’s more, your hearing aids will have to be tuned to your ears and adjusted for your specific level of hearing loss.

Make sure you get the best hearing aids for you

What choices do you have? When it comes to hearing aids, you’ll have several different styles and kinds to select from. You can work with us to figure out which ones are ideal for you and your hearing needs. Here are the solutions you will have to pick from:

• Completely-in-the-Canal Hearing Aids (CIC): For individuals who want their hearing aids to be discrete and also deliver high-quality sound, these hearing aids will be the best choice. The only difficulty is that they tend to have a shorter longevity and battery life. The small size also means you don’t get some of the most sophisticated features.
• In-the-Canal Hearing Aids (ITC): These hearing aids are custom molded to your ear canal, which makes them mostly discrete. Because they’re a little larger than CIC models, they may include more high-tech functions. Some of these functions can be a bit tricky to manipulate by hand (because the devices are still quite small). Still, ITC models are ideal for individuals who need more features but still want to remain discreet.
• In-the-Ear Hearing Aids: This style of hearing aid is molded to sit entirely in your outer ear. A “half shell” version fits in your lower ear and a “full shell” version fits entirely inside your ear. These devices are more exposed but can include sophisticated and powerful microphones, making them a great choice for noise control or complex hearing problems.
• Behind-the-Ear Hearing Aids (BTE): In a way, BTE hearing aids are the best of both worlds. This type of device has one part that fits in your ear (that’s the speaker) but transfers all of the bulky electronics to a housing that sits behind your ear. The two parts are connected by a small tube, but in general, it’s pretty non-visible. These hearing aids offer many amplification solutions making them quite popular. These kinds are a good 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 similar to BTE models. This makes them even less visible, with the added benefit of reducing things like wind noise.
• Open-Fit Hearing Aids: Open-fit hearing aids tend to let low-frequency sounds enter the ear even while you’re hearing the device. If you have problems hearing higher frequencies but low-frequencies aren’t really a problem, these hearing aids will be a good fit for you. It isn’t a good choice for all types of hearing loss, but it does work well for many individuals.

How about over-the-counter hearing aids?

Over-the-counter hearing aids (or OTC hearing aids, to keep flooding you with acronyms) are yet another option to think about. The trouble is that OTC hearing aids are kind of like OTC medications, they work okay in a general sense. But if your hearing loss calls for a set of more powerful hearing aids or more specialized hearing aids, OTC devices might fall somewhat short. Prescription hearing aids can be fine-tuned to your specific hearing needs which is an option 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 consult with us.

Upkeep and repair

Of course, 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 now and then.

So, now you’re thinking: how often should my hearing aids be assessed? Generally, you should schedule a regular upkeep and cleaning appointment for your hearing aids every six-to-twelve months. By doing this you can be sure everything is in good working order.

You should also become familiar with your warranty. You will save some cash 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 sometimes simple: good maintenance and a great warranty.

So… what’s the best hearing aid?

There isn’t a single best all-time hearing aid. Every hearing specialist might have a different model that they think is the best.

Which hearing aids match your hearing loss requirements will be the ones that are best for you. Just like with an automobile, for some an SUV will be best, and for others, a minivan will best fit their lifestyles. It all just depends, and the same is true for hearing aids.

But the more you understand beforehand and the better informed you are, the easier it will be to find the hearing aids that are ideal for you. Schedule a hearing test with us today!

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