Getting The Most From Your Hearing Aids

A car isn’t really an impulse purchase (unless you’re really wealthy). Which means you will most likely do a ton of research first. You take a good look at things such as gas mileage, price point, and customer reviews. Google is your best friend these days. This amount of research makes sense! 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.

Not only do you look at the objective factors (gas mileage, safety, etc), but you’ll also give thought to best fits for your lifestyle. What type of vehicle do you like? Do you need a lot of space to carry supplies around? How fast do you want your car to be?

So you should take a close look at all of your options and make some informed decisions in order to get the most from your purchase. And that’s the same attitude you should take when selecting your hearing aids. They may not cost tens of thousands of dollars, but they’re still an investment. Identifying which device will fit your lifestyle best and which device works best in general, is the best way to get the most out of your investment.

Hearing aid advantages

In just 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 general way. Hearing aids are a great investment!

The advantages of hearing aids, for most individuals, are more tangible than merely helping you hear. 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 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 want to keep those benefits coming!

Are higher quality hearing aids always more expensive?

There might be some people out there who would assume that the most effective way to make your hearing aid work better and last longer is to just purchase the most expensive device possible.

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

• The technology inside of a hearing aid is really tiny and very sophisticated. That means you’re paying for an extremely potent technological package.
• They’re designed to be long-lasting. If you take good care of them this is especially true.

But the most costly model won’t automatically be your best fit or work the best. There are a lot of factors to think about (including the degree of your hearing loss and, well, how much you can spend!) Some hearing aids will definitely last longer than others. But the cost of the device isn’t always the deciding factor.

As with any other purchase, hearing aids will need regular maintenance in order to continue working properly. Also, your hearing loss is distinct to you and your hearing aids will have to be calibrated to your exact needs.

Be sure you get the correct hearing aids for you

What options do you have? You’ll be able to pick from several different styles and types. We can help you figure out 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 usually very discrete (perfect for individuals who want to hide their hearing aids). But with this kind of hearing aid, battery life, and overall lifespan is usually shorter. And some of the most state-of-the-art features tend to be missing due to their smaller size.
• In-the-Canal Hearing Aids (ITC): These hearing aids are custom molded to fit your ear canal, which makes them mostly hidden. They will often contain more high-tech functions being slightly larger than CIC models. These devices are still rather small and some of the functions can be a little tricky to manipulate by hand. Even still, ITC models are ideal for individuals who need more features but still want to remain discreet.
• In-the-Ear Hearing Aids: This type of hearing aid is molded to fit completely inside your outer ear. A “half shell” version fits in your lower ear and a “full shell” version fits totally inside your ear. These devices are more visible but can include advanced and powerful microphones, making them a great choice for noise control or complex hearing issues.
• 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 in general, it’s fairly non-visible. These hearing aids offer many amplification solutions making them quite popular. When you want the best of both visibility and power, these devices will be the perfect solution.
• 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 additional benefit of reducing 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 a problem, these hearing aids will be a good fit for you. Though it works well for many individuals, it won’t be a good choice for everyone.

How about over-the-counter hearing aids?

Another option to think about is OTC or over-the-counter hearing aids. The trouble is that OTC hearing aids are kind 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 require if your hearing loss is more pronounced or complex. Generally, OTC hearing aids can’t be specially tuned to your hearing like prescription hearing aids can.

Regardless of what type of hearing aid you decide to invest in, it’s always a smart idea to consult us about what might work best for your particular needs.

Repair and upkeep

Obviously, once you’ve taken all of the steps to select your perfect hearing aid type, you need to take care of it. This is, again, like a car which also requires maintenance.

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

It’s also not a bad idea to be fairly familiar with your device’s 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.

So… what’s the best hearing aid?

There’s no single best hearing aid. If you go to see twelve different hearing specialists and request the “best” hearing aid, they might provide you with twelve different models.

Which hearing aids match your hearing loss requirements will be the ones that are best for you. Just like with an automobile, for some an SUV will be the right choice, 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 choosing the hearing aid that’s best for you if you are well informed beforehand. Schedule a hearing exam with us today!