Getting The Most Out of Your Hearing Aids

A car isn’t really an impulse purchase (unless you’re really wealthy). Which means you will probably do a lot of research first. You take a good look at things like gas mileage, price point, and customer reviews. (You’re on Google a lot.) This amount of research makes sense! You’re about to spend tens of thousands of dollars on something and spend years paying it off (unless, again, you are really wealthy). 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 type of vehicle do you like? Do you need a lot of space to carry things around? How fast do you want your car to be?

So you should have a close look at all of your possibilities and make some informed decisions so that you can get the most from your investment. 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’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 benefits of hearing aids

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

Yes, they help your hearing, but for most people, the advantages are more tangible than that. With a pair of hearing aids, you can remain involved with the people in your life. 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 grandchildren, and engaging in conversations with friends.

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

Do more costly hearing aids work better?

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

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

• The technology inside of a hearing aid is really tiny and very sophisticated. That means you’re getting an extremely potent technological package.
• They’re made to be long-lasting. Especially if you take care of them.

But the most expensive model won’t necessarily be your best fit or work the best. There are lots of factors to consider (including the extent of your hearing loss and, well, your budget!) Do some hearing aids last longer than others? Sure! But the cost of the device isn’t always the deciding variable.

As with any other purchase, hearing aids will require regular maintenance in order to continue working effectively. Also, your hearing loss is unique to you and your hearing aids will have to be programmed to your exact needs.

Make sure you get the best hearing aids for you

So, what are your choices? You’ll be able to pick from several different styles and types. You can work with us to determine which ones are best for you and your hearing needs. Here are the solutions you will have to choose from:

• Completely-in-the-Canal Hearing Aids (CIC): For people who want their hearing aids to be hidden and also deliver high-quality sound, these hearing aids will be the best choice. But with this type of hearing aid, battery life, and overall longevity is usually shorter. The small size also means you don’t get some of the most modern features.
• 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 features being a little bigger than CIC models. These devices are still fairly small and some of the features can be a bit tricky to manipulate by hand. If you want your hearing aid to be discrete but also include some sophisticated functions, this type 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 entirely in your 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 a great choice.
• Behind-the-Ear Hearing Aids (BTE): In a way, BTE hearing aids are the best of both worlds. This type of hearing aid has one part that fits in your ear (that’s the speaker) but moves all of the bulky electronics to a housing that sits behind your ear. The two parts are connected by a little tube, but for the most part, it’s pretty non-visible. These hearing aids provide many amplification solutions making them quite popular. These types 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 decreasing things like wind noise.
• 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 are not really an issue, these hearing aids will be a great fit for you. It isn’t a good choice for all forms of hearing loss, but it does work well for many people.

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 may fall a bit short. Generally, OTC hearing aids can’t be specially calibrated to your hearing in the same way that prescription hearing aids can.

Regardless of what kind of hearing aid you decide to buy, it’s always a good plan to consult us about what will work best for your particular needs.

Repair and maintenance

After you choose the ideal hearing aid for your hearing needs, taking care of it is essential. This is, once again, like a car which also needs maintenance.

So how often will your hearing aids need to be checked? You should have your hearing aid cleaned and maintained every six months to a year. This gives you an opportunity to be certain that everything is working properly and as it should!

You should also become familiar with your warranty. If and when you need repair, knowing what’s covered by that warranty and what isn’t can save you some money! So now you’re wondering: how do I make my hearing aids last longer? The answer is usually simple: good upkeep and a strong warranty.

So… what is the best hearing aid?

There isn’t a single greatest all-time hearing aid. If you go to twelve different hearing specialists and ask for the “best” hearing aid, they might provide you with twelve different models.

Which hearing aids fit 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 goes for hearing aids.

But you will have an easier time finding the hearing aid that’s best for you if you are well informed beforehand. Schedule a hearing test with us today!