How to Get The Most From Your Hearing Aids

If you aren’t really rich, a car really isn’t an impulse purchase. Which means you will probably do a lot of research first. You take a good look at things such as gas mileage, price point, and customer reviews. (You’re on Google a lot.) This level of research is logical! For most people 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 look at the concrete factors (gas mileage, safety, etc), but you’ll also give thought to best fits for your lifestyle. What style of vehicle do you enjoy? Do you need a lot of space to carry things around? 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 that’s the same mindset you should take when choosing your hearing aids. They may not cost tens of thousands of dollars, but they’re still an investment. And getting the most from your investment means figuring out which devices work best, overall, as well as what delivers the most for your lifestyle.

The advantages of hearing aids

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

The benefits of hearing aids, for most people, are more tangible than just helping you hear. Staying connected with your family and friends will be much easier with a good pair of hearing aids. You’ll have an easier time chatting with the clerk at the pharmacy, listening to a story about dinosaurs at the dinner table with your grandkids, and enjoying conversations with friends.

With all these benefits, it stands to reason 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 expensive?

There may be some people out there who would presume that the most effective way to make your hearing aid work better and last longer is to just buy the most expensive device they can.

Hearing aids are definitely an investment. Here are a couple of reasons why some hearing aids can be costly:

• Hearing aids are made to include very state-of-the-art technologies, and they have to make those technologies as tiny as possible. So the package you’re purchasing is very technologically potent.
• They’re made to be long-lasting. Particularly if you take care of them.

But the most costly 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 factors to consider. Do some hearing aids last longer than others? Certainly! But that isn’t always determined by how costly the device was in the first place.

As with any other purchase, hearing aids will need regular maintenance in order to continue working properly. What’s more, your hearing aids will need to be calibrated to your ears and calibrated for your unique level of hearing loss.

Get the proper hearing aids for your hearing loss

So, what are your options? You’ll be able to pick from several different styles and types. We can help you identify which hearing aids will be best for your hearing needs. But in general, here’s what you’ll have to choose from:

• Completely-in-the-Canal Hearing Aids (CIC): These types of hearing aids can deliver high-quality sound and are generally very discrete (great for individuals who want to hide their hearing aids). The only problem is that they tend to have a shorter lifespan and battery life. And some of the most modern functions are usually missing because of 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 typically have more high-tech features being slightly larger than CIC models. These devices are still pretty small and some of the functions can be a bit 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 style of hearing aid is molded to sit entirely in your outer ear. Two types are available (full shell, which fits your whole ear, or half shell, which sits in the lower ear). If you have complex hearing problems or need more powerful noise control, the more advanced technology and larger microphones will make these hearing aids the perfect choice.
• Behind-the-Ear Hearing Aids (BTE): The speaker of this device fits in your ear and the more bulky electronic part sits behind your ear making them the best of both worlds in a way. The pieces are connected by a small tube, but for the most part, it’s pretty non-visible. These hearing aids are popular because they offer many amplification solutions. When you want the best of both power and visibility, these devices will be the perfect choice.
• Receiving-in-the-Canal (or in the Ear) Hearing Aids (RIC or RITE): With this model, 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 advantage of cutting down on things like wind noise.
• Open-Fit Hearing Aids: Open-fit hearing aids will let low-frequency sounds enter the ear even while you’re hearing the device. This makes them suitable for individuals who can hear those low-frequencies fairly well (but have problems with high-frequency sounds). Though it works well for many people, it won’t be a good choice for everyone.

Pros and Cons of over-the-counter hearing aids

Another option to think about is OTC or over-the-counter hearing aids. The difficulty is that OTC hearing aids are sort of like OTC medications, they work okay in a general way. But it’s likely that OTC hearing aids won’t have the power you need if your hearing loss is more advanced or complex. Prescription hearing aids can be calibrated to your particular hearing needs which is a feature generally not available with OTC hearing aids.

No matter what type of hearing aid you decide to purchase, it’s always a smart idea to speak with us about what might work best for your specific needs.

Repair and maintenance

After you choose the best hearing aid for your hearing requirements, taking care of it is essential. Just like your car requires oil changes once in a while.

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

It’s also not a bad idea to be somewhat familiar with your device’s warranty. You will save some cash when you are familiar with what is and isn’t covered. So now you’re wondering: how do I make my hearing aids last longer? The answer is usually simple: good maintenance and a strong warranty.

Is there a hearing aid that’s the best?

There is no single greatest all-time hearing aid. Every hearing specialist may have a different model that they think is the best.

The secret is to find the best hearing aid for you and for your personal requirements. Some people will opt for a minivan, others for a sport utility vehicle. The same is true with hearing aids, it all 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 perfect for you. Schedule a hearing assessment with us today!

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