How to Get The Most Out of Your Hearing Aids

If you’re not very wealthy, a car isn’t really an impulse buy. Which means you will probably do a great deal of research ahead of time. You check out reviews, you compare prices, and you consider gas mileage. (You’re on Google a lot.) This amount of research is logical! 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 objective factors (gas mileage, safety, etc), but you’ll also think about best fits for your lifestyle. What type of vehicle do you like? How much room do you require for weekly supplies? How fast do you want your car to be?

Put another way, to get the most out of your new car, you have to examine your options and make some decisions. 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. Figuring out which device will best fit your lifestyle and which device works best overall, is the best way to get the most from your investment.

Hearing aid advantages

In exactly the same way that you can discuss 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 wonderful investment!

Yes, they help your hearing, but for most people, the advantages are more tangible than that. Staying involved with your family and friends will be a lot 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 over dinner with your grandchildren, and enjoying conversations with friends.

It’s only logical that you would want to make your hearing aids last as long as you can given all of the benefits. You don’t want those benefits to stop.

Do more expensive hearing aids work better?

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

And, to be sure, hearing aids can be an investment. There’s a reason why some devices are costly in the first place:

• The technology inside of a hearing aid is really tiny and very advanced. That means you’re paying for a very potent technological package.
• They’re designed 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. How severe your hearing loss is and, of course, your budget are a couple of the variables to think about. Do some hearing aids last longer than others? Sure! But that isn’t always determined by how expensive the device was in the first place.

In order to keep your hearing aids in good working order, as with any other investment, they will call for regular care and maintenance. Also, your hearing loss is unique to you and your hearing aids will need to be tuned to your exact requirements.

Get the appropriate hearing aids for your hearing loss

So, what are your choices? You’ll be able to choose from several different styles and types. You can work with us to figure out which ones are the right choice for you and your hearing needs. But generally, here’s what you’ll have to select from:

• Completely-in-the-Canal Hearing Aids (CIC): These kinds of hearing aids can provide high-quality sound and are usually very discrete (great for individuals who want to hide their hearing aids). The only trouble is that they tend to have a shorter lifespan and battery life. The small size also means you don’t get some of the most sophisticated functions.
• In-the-Canal Hearing Aids (ITC): These hearing aids are mostly discrete because they are molded to fit your ear canal. Because they’re slightly larger than CIC models, they might include more high-tech functions. These devices are still fairly small and some of the features can be a bit difficult to manipulate by hand. If you want your hearing aid to be discrete but also have some sophisticated 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 styles are available (full shell, which fits the entirety of your ear, or half shell, which sits in the lower ear). These devices are more visible but can include sophisticated and powerful microphones, making them a great choice for noise control or complex hearing conditions.
• Behind-the-Ear Hearing Aids (BTE): In a way, BTE hearing aids are the best of both worlds. This type of device has one part that sits in your ear (that’s the speaker) but moves all of the bulky electronics to a housing that sits behind your ear. The small tube that connects the two parts is still pretty discrete. These hearing aids are popular because they offer many amplification solutions. These types are a great compromise between visibility and power.
• Receiving-in-the-Canal (or in the Ear) Hearing Aids (RIC or RITE): With this model, the speaker part fits in the ear canal but they are otherwise similar to BTE models. They have the benefit of reducing wind noise and are generally less visible.
• Open-Fit Hearing Aids: Open-fit hearing aids tend to allow low-frequency sounds to 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. Though it works well for many individuals, it won’t be a good choice for everybody.

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 sort of like OTC medications, they work fine in a basic way. But it’s likely that OTC hearing aids won’t have the power you need if your hearing loss is more pronounced or complex. In general, OTC hearing aids can’t be specially tuned to your hearing like prescription hearing aids can.

The best way to figure out what kind of hearing aid will be best for you, you should consult with us.

Repair and upkeep

After you decide on the best hearing aid for your hearing needs, taking care of it is crucial. This is, 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 properly maintained every six months to a year. This gives you an opportunity to be certain that everything is working properly and as it should!

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 good warranty and regular maintenance will help your hearing last as long as possible.

So… what’s the best hearing aid?

There isn’t a single best 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 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 best, and for others, a minivan will best fit their lifestyles. The same is true with hearing aids, it all depends on your situation.

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!