Getting The Most Out of Your Hearing Aids

If you aren’t very wealthy, a car isn’t really an impulse purchase. So a great deal of research is probably the first thing you do. You take a good look at things such as gas mileage, overall price, and customer reviews. (You’re on Google a lot.) It is sensible to do this amount 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 sure your investment is well spent.

You’ll be thinking about how your purchase best fits your lifestyle and also practical things like safety, gas mileage, etc. What style of vehicle do you enjoy? How much room do you require for weekly supplies? How fast do you want your car to be?

In other words, to get the most from your new car, you have to examine your options and make some choices. And when you’re selecting new hearing aids, it’s essential to have this same mindset. They won’t cost tens of thousands of dollars, but they are an investment. And getting the most out of your investment means figuring out which devices work best, overall, as well as what provides the most for your lifestyle.

Hearing aid advantages

In just the same way that you can discuss the benefits of a car in very general terms, you can also discuss 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 advantages are more tangible than that. With a set of hearing aids, you can stay connected to the people in your life. You’ll be able to more easily follow conversations during dinner, listen to your grandchildren tell you about cool dinosaurs, and converse with the checkout clerk at the supermarket.

It’s only logical that you would want to make your hearing aids last as long as you can given all of the benefits. You want to keep those benefits coming!

Do more costly hearing aids work better?

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

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

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

But the most expensive model won’t automatically be your best fit or work the best. How profound your hearing loss is and, obviously, your budget are a couple of the variables to consider. Do some hearing aids last longer than others? Sure! But the price of the device isn’t always the deciding factor.

In order to keep your hearing aids in tip-top working order, as with any other purchase, they will call for regular care and maintenance. What’s more, your hearing aids will have to be calibrated to your ears and calibrated for your unique level of hearing loss.

Be sure you get the correct hearing aids for you

So, what are your choices? You’ll be able to pick from numerous different styles and types. We can help you determine which hearing aids will be best for your hearing requirements. Here are the solutions 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 (perfect for individuals who want to hide their hearing aids). But with this kind of hearing aid, battery life, and overall lifespan tends to be shorter. And some of the most sophisticated features are usually missing due to their smaller size.
• In-the-Canal Hearing Aids (ITC): These hearing aids are mostly hidden because they are molded to fit your ear canal. They will often have more high-tech features being a bit bigger than CIC models. These devices are still rather small and some of the functions can be a bit tricky to manipulate by hand. Even still, ITC models are great for individuals who need more features but still want to remain discreet.
• In-the-Ear Hearing Aids: These devices are also molded to your ears. No part of the hearing aid sits in your ear canal, it all sits in your outer ear. A “half shell” version fits in your lower ear and a “full shell” version fits totally in your ear. These hearing aids are more visible but can contain advanced and powerful microphones, making them an excellent choice for noise control or complex hearing problems.
• Behind-the-Ear Hearing Aids (BTE): The speaker of this device sits in your ear and the more bulky electronic part sits behind your ear making them the best of both worlds in a way. The two parts are connected by a small tube, but for the most part, it’s pretty non-visible. These hearing aids offer many amplification options making them quite popular. When you want the best of both visibility and power, these devices will be the perfect option.
• Receiving-in-the-Canal (or in the Ear) Hearing Aids (RIC or RITE): With this design, the speaker part fits in the ear canal but they are otherwise a lot like BTE models. They have the benefit of reducing wind noise and are generally less visible.
• Open-Fit Hearing Aids: Even when you’re wearing the device, low-frequency sounds can still get into the ear. If you have difficulty hearing higher frequencies but low-frequencies aren’t really an issue, these hearing aids will be a great fit for you. It’s not a good choice for all forms of hearing loss, but it does work well for many individuals.

Pros and Cons of over-the-counter hearing aids

Over-the-counter hearing aids (or OTC hearing aids, to keep inundating you with acronyms) are yet another alternative to think about. The difficulty is that OTC hearing aids are sort of like OTC medications, they work okay in a general way. But if your hearing loss calls for a pair of more powerful hearing aids or more specialized hearing aids, OTC devices might fall a bit short. Prescription hearing aids can be fine-tuned to your particular hearing needs which is an option generally not provided by OTC hearing aids.

The best way to find out what kind of hearing aid will be best for you, you should talk 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. This is, again, like a car which also requires upkeep.

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

You should also get familiar with your warranty. You will save some cash when you are familiar with what is and isn’t covered. A strong warranty and regular maintenance will help your hearing last as long as possible.

Is there a hearing aid that’s the best?

There’s no single best hearing aid. Every hearing specialist may 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. Some people will go for a minivan, others for a sport utility vehicle. The same is true for hearing aids, it just depends on your specific situation.

But the more you understand beforehand and the better informed you are, the easier it will be to get the hearing aids that are ideal for you. Call us to schedule a consultation today!