When should I upgrade my hearing aids?
This is a regular question we hear from our patients, and the answer demands some thought. Although hearing aids traditionally have a life-span of 3-7 years, there are a few instances in which you may want to upgrade sooner.
Here are 4 reasons you may want to consider a hearing aid upgrade.
1. Your hearing aids are no longer functioning well
If your hearing aids are not working as effectively as they used to, the first thing to look into is cleaning or repair.
Hearing aids are exposed to earwax, humidity, and other particles, so your hearing aids may merely need a cleaning. Other times, the electronics within the hearing aids require repair, but otherwise the hearing aids remain effective.
If your hearing aids are damaged beyond repair, on the other hand, or if they are past their regular life-span, you may wish to upgrade to a new pair.
2. Your hearing needs are not being fulfilled
Let’s say you secure a new job that requires a lot of talking on the phone, which has always been a challenge for you with your present hearing aids. You learn about a new brand of hearing aid that can stream phone calls wirelessly from your iPhone directly to your hearing aids, leading to clear sound that you can easily adjust. In this scenario, you might want to upgrade your hearing aids to accommodate your new hearing needs.
It’s a great idea to create a list of all the situations in which your existing hearing aids are not performing to your preference. Then, by talking with a hearing specialist, you can identify the hearing aids that can better satisfy your requirements.
3. Your hearing has changed
Hearing can and does change through the years, and it’s possible that your current hearing aids, while initially sufficient, are now incapable of dealing with your hearing loss. If this is the case, you will need a new hearing exam and a new pair of hearing aids programmed to complement your hearing loss.
4. You want to reap the benefits of the latest technology
Hearing aid technology is advancing rapidly; just ten years ago it would have seemed like science fiction to expect that you could stream music wirelessly from your iPod to your hearing aids. Each year, amazing new functionality is added to new hearing aid models, and you may find that you’d like to reap the benefits of the new technology.
For instance, maybe you just bought a new Apple Watch and you discovered that some of the new hearing aid models are compatible. If you want to control your hearing aids with the watch, you would need to upgrade to a suitable model.
The decision to upgrade your hearing aids basically boils down to answering two questions:
- Are my current hearing aids meeting all of my listening requirements?
- Is there new technology or functionality that I would like to take advantage of?
Hearing aid technology is advancing rapidly, and most of our patients are surprised to learn what the new hearing aid models are capable of. And the truth is, you can’t really answer the second question without knowing what’s available.
If you would like to learn about what some of your options are, give us a call today and we’ll explain to you all the available technology and how it could make your life better and easier. You might be surprised at what you discover.