When should I update my hearing aids?

When should I update my hearing aids?

New technology can mean an improved hearing experiences for those with hearing loss. At Custom Hearing Solutions, we stay abreast of the technological advancements and our audiologist and certified hearing instrument specialists can determine if something new can help you.

Consider these questions to help you determine if you should update – and also remember we offer repair and cleaning services if you think that’s what your hearing aids need.

Are your current hearing aids doing the job?

Hearing aids age and wear out. Can you hear phone conversations clearly and without straining? Are you getting feedback? Do you have issues understanding people talking in large areas or in crowded situations? Do you need to turn your hearing aids up more often? Are you getting unwanted static more frequently? Are you having battery issues and they need more frequent recharging? Is it difficult for you to take the batteries in and out? Are your hearing aids more than three years old? If you answered “yes” maybe its time to talk about an upgrade.

Have there been changes in your life situations?

Has your home life changed? Another person or persons added? Different voice tones you need to adjust to may mean tweaks in your current hearing aids or a new one. How about a new job? Are you having to adjust to more phone conferences or meetings in large rooms with different acoustics? Are you using a hands-free phone option in the car more? There are new hearing instruments that are better at separating out sounds. The micro-brains in the newer hearing aids can adjust automatically and it is less tiring to use them.

How about other changes?

Maybe you are swimming more because you’ve moved or you’ve discovered it’s a great form of exercise. Then a more waterproof version of a hearing device could be what you need to upgrade to. A new television or computer could mean you may benefit from a hearing aid that lets you link to new electronics. Have you changed your hair color or maybe your hair style? Don’t overlook a style or color change for your hearing aids because you think that might be frivolous. Anything that makes you more comfortable using a hearing device is a good thing! Many times, your insurance will cover an upgrade.

New technology is pretty cool and useful!

New hearing aids can interface with your smart phone, iPod, tablet, FM systems, your computer or your television. You can stream music from an iphone or other media device to your hearing aids and newer hearing aids can save the settings so you don’t need to adjust the sound levels every time you connect.

Newer hearing aids also offer a host of features that help you hear more naturally. For example, if you are attending lectures, meetings or conferences in large halls, hearing aids are now designed to adjust to the acoustics in those areas. This is also useful in large houses of worship.

There are hearing devices that can be used with Bluetooth, so you won’t have difficulty taking phone calls and you won’t be fumbling to get the phone, adjust the volume or pull over the car. A number of hearing aids have a GPS option and they “remember” where you’ve been and if you had to adjust your hearing device when you got there. If you attend a lecture at a certain location your hearing aid will automatically adjust to the levels you set them at when you were there last time. It will also save settings if you have to adjust when you get in the car.

If tinnitus is an issue, look for hearing aids that provide tinnitus relief or tinnitus therapy. These features provide soothing background noise or music to alleviate the stress of tinnitus. There are compatible phone apps so you can make program and volume adjustments from your phone. With your smart phone, you can also get alerts if the batteries are getting low or you can set the app to let you know when the batteries reach a certain level.

For music lovers, there are special hearing devices that can enhance your listening experience. If music is your profession, there are hearing aids that will let you do music production work and you don’t have to worry about feedback, static or not getting being able to get the full range of musical instruments or a musical production. These would also be useful if you are a regular patron of the Opera, Broadway and theatre productions, the Symphony or concerts.

To learn more about the newest hearing aids we offer and whether they will work for you – give us a call at Custom Hearing Solutions.