How to Get The Most Out of Your Hearing Aids

If you’re not very wealthy, a car isn’t really an impulse purchase. Which means you will probably do a lot of research ahead of time. You have a good look at things such as gas mileage, overall price, and customer reviews. Google is your best friend right now. It makes sense to do this amount of research. For most people who aren’t wealthy, it will take a while to pay off the thousands of dollars you’re about to spend. So you want to make certain your investment is well spent.

You’ll be thinking about how your purchase best suits your lifestyle and also practical things like safety, gas mileage, etc. Is there a particular style of vehicle you really enjoy? Do you need a lot of room to carry supplies around? How much pep do you want to feel when you push down that accelerator?

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 that’s the same attitude you should take when choosing your hearing aids. They’re still an investment although they cost a lot less than a new car. Determining which device will best fit your lifestyle and which device works best in general, is the best way to get the most from your investment.

Hearing aid benefits

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

Yes, they help your hearing, but for most people, the advantages are more tangible than that. With a set of hearing aids, you can remain connected to the people in your life. You’ll have an easier time chatting with the clerk at the pharmacy, listening to a tale about dinosaurs at the dinner table with your grandkids, and engaging in 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 want to keep those benefits coming!

Are higher quality hearing aids always more expensive?

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

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

• Hearing aids are designed to include very advanced technologies, and they need to make those technologies as tiny as possible. So the package you’re paying for is very technologically potent.
• Hearing aids are also made to last for a long time. 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 profound your hearing loss is and, obviously, what you can afford are a couple of the factors to consider. Do some hearing aids last longer than others? Sure! But that isn’t always dictated by how costly the device was in the first place.

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

Get the appropriate hearing aids for your hearing loss

What choices do you have? When it comes to hearing aids, you’ll have several different styles and kinds to pick from. We can help you identify which hearing aids will be best for your hearing requirements. Here are the choices you will have to choose from:

• Completely-in-the-Canal Hearing Aids (CIC): For people who want their hearing aids to be discrete and also provide high-quality sound, these hearing aids will be the best choice. But with this kind of hearing aid, battery life, and overall longevity tends to be shorter. And some of the most state-of-the-art functions tend to be missing due to their smaller size.
• In-the-Canal Hearing Aids (ITC): These hearing aids are specifically molded to fit your ear canal, which makes them mostly discrete. Because they’re slightly larger than CIC models, they might include more high-tech features. These devices are still pretty small and some of the features can be a bit tricky to manipulate by hand. Even still, ITC models are ideal for individuals who require more features but still want to be discreet.
• In-the-Ear Hearing Aids: This style 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 inside your ear. If you have complex hearing problems 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): 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 pieces are connected by a little tube, but for the most part, it’s pretty non-visible. These hearing aids provide many amplification options making them quite popular. When you want the best of both visibility and power, these devices will be the best 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. They have the benefit of minimizing wind noise and are generally less visible.
• Open-Fit Hearing Aids: Open-fit hearing aids will let low-frequency sounds enter the ear even while you’re using the device. If you have trouble hearing higher frequencies but low-frequencies aren’t really an issue, these hearing aids will be a great fit for you. 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

Over-the-counter hearing aids (or OTC hearing aids, to keep flooding you with acronyms) are yet another alternative to consider. The problem is that OTC hearing aids are kind of like OTC medications, they work fine in a general sense. But if your hearing loss warrants a set of more powerful hearing aids or more specialized hearing aids, OTC devices could fall somewhat short. Prescription hearing aids can be fine-tuned to your specific hearing needs which is a feature generally not available with OTC hearing aids.

Regardless of what kind of hearing aid you decide to invest in, it’s always a good plan to talk to us about what might work best for your specific needs.

Repair and maintenance

Obviously, 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 now and then.

So, now you’re thinking: how frequently should my hearing aids be checked? You should get your hearing aid cleaned and maintained every six months to a year. By doing this you can be certain everything is in good working condition.

It’s also a good idea to be somewhat familiar with your device’s warranty. If and when you need repair, knowing what’s covered by that warranty and what’s not can save you some money! A strong warranty and regular upkeep will help your hearing last as long as possible.

Is there a hearing aid that’s the best?

There is no single greatest all-time hearing aid. If you go to see twelve different hearing specialists and ask for the “best” hearing aid, they might provide you with a dozen different models.

The secret is to find the best hearing aid for you and for your needs. Some families will go for a minivan, others for a sport utility vehicle. It all just depends, and the same goes for hearing aids.

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

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