How to Get The Most Out of Your Hearing Aids

A car isn’t really an impulse purchase (unless you’re really rich). So a great deal of research is most likely the first step you take. You look at reviews, you assess prices, and you evaluate gas mileage. (You’re on Google a lot.) This level of research is logical! For most people who aren’t wealthy, it will take a while to pay off the thousands of dollars you will 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. What style of vehicle do you enjoy? Do you need a lot of space to carry supplies around? How much power do you want to feel when you push down that accelerator?

Put another way, to get the most from your new car, you need to evaluate your options and make some choices. And that’s the same mindset you should have when selecting your hearing aids. They’re still an investment even though they cost much less than a new car. And getting the most out of your investment means figuring out which devices work best, overall, as well as what delivers the most for your lifestyle.

Hearing aid advantages

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

Yes, they help your hearing, but for most people, the advantages are more tangible than that. Staying connected with your family and friends will be much easier with a good set of hearing aids. You’ll have an easier time chatting with the clerk at the pharmacy, listening to a tale about dinosaurs over dinner with your grandkids, and enjoying conversations with friends.

It’s only logical that you would want to make your hearing aids last as long as possible 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 highest-priced device.

And, to be sure, hearing aids are an investment. Here are a couple of reasons why some hearing aids tend to be expensive:

• Hearing aids are made to contain very state-of-the-art technologies, and they have to make those technologies as tiny as possible. So the package you’re paying for is very technologically potent.
• They’re designed to be long-lasting. If you take good care of them this is particularly true.

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

As with any other investment, hearing aids will require regular maintenance in order to keep working effectively. Also, your hearing loss is unique to you and your hearing aids will have to be calibrated to your specific needs.

Be sure you get the best hearing aids for you

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

• Completely-in-the-Canal Hearing Aids (CIC): These kinds of hearing aids can deliver high-quality sound and are generally quite discrete (great for people 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 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 fit your ear canal. Because they’re a bit larger than CIC models, they may include more high-tech features. Some of these functions can be a little tricky to adjust by hand (because the devices are still rather small). If you want your hearing aid to be discrete but also have some sophisticated features, this type will be ideal.
• In-the-Ear Hearing Aids: These hearing aids are also molded to your ears. No part of the hearing aid sits in your ear canal, it all sits in your outer ear. Two types are available (full shell, which fits the entirety of your ear, or half shell, which sits in the lower ear). If you have complex hearing issues or need more powerful noise control, the more sophisticated technology and larger microphones will make these hearing aids a great option.
• Behind-the-Ear Hearing Aids (BTE): In a way, BTE hearing aids are the best of both worlds. This style of hearing aid 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 pieces are connected by a small tube, but for the most part, it’s pretty non-visible. These devices are popular because they provide many amplification solutions. When you want the best of both power and visibility, these devices will be the best choice.
• 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 similar to BTE models. This makes them even less visible, with the added advantage of cutting down on 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 difficulty hearing higher frequencies but low-frequencies are not really an issue, these hearing aids will be a good fit for you. It’s not a good choice for all forms of hearing loss, but it does work well for many people.

How about 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 consider. OTC hearing aids work okay in general, much like OTC medications. But it’s likely that OTC hearing aids won’t have the power you require if your hearing loss is more advanced or complex. Generally, OTC hearing aids can’t be specifically tuned to your hearing in the same way that prescription hearing aids can.

No matter what type of hearing aid you decide to invest in, it’s always a good idea to talk to us about what will work best for your particular requirements.

Repair and maintenance

Of course, once you’ve gone to all the trouble to pick out your perfect hearing aid type, you should take care of it. Just like your car requires oil changes once in a while.

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

You should also get 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 cash! A good 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 feel is the best.

Which hearing aids match your hearing loss requirements will be the ones that are best for you. Some people will go with a minivan, others for an SUV. The same goes with hearing aids, it all depends on your specific situation.

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 assessment with us today!