The decision to get new hearing aids is not to be taken lightly. This investment in your health and wellness can be costly, so you don’t want to wantonly get new hearing aids before they are necessary. However, you also don’t want to continue using aids that are insufficient for your needs. How do you know when the time comes to update your hearing aids? This decision is unique for each person, and there is no golden rule for when new aids become necessary. There are a few factors that can prompt you to get new aids. Although your hearing aids might last long into the future, you don’t want to risk getting insufficient treatment. Particularly when you think about the many associated risks to your health and wellness that are associated with untreated or undertreated hearing loss, getting the right aids for your needs is an essential consideration. The following are three factors that will let you know it is time to consider an update to your hearing aids.
Changes in Your Hearing Aid Performance
If you notice any changes in the performance of your hearing aids, it might be time to get an updated pair. In some cases, you might have a setting that needs to be changed, and our hearing health professionals can help you get back on track with the right settings for your needs. In other cases, there might be a problem with the functionality of the aids themselves. Sometimes a thorough cleaning will bring them back to full working order, or there might be a simple repair that you or one of our staff members can perform in-house. In these cases, updated aids are not necessary. However, if a more serious repair is needed, you will have to balance the cost of the repair against the benefit of new hearing aids. Some repairs can be costly, and you might make a better decision for your value if you get hearing aids that will last long in the future.
Changes in Your Hearing
If you notice any changes in your hearing ability, the first step is to schedule a hearing test. We will perform a full diagnosis of your hearing needs and determine if your current aids are sufficient to care for them. In some cases, your current hearing aids will work just fine. We can help you adjust the settings and volume to accommodate the changes in your hearing ability. However, some cases of advanced hearing loss require more powerful hearing aids or other assistive technology. After your hearing test, we can discuss with you the options for treatment, including whether your current hearing aids are sufficient or not.
Changes in Hearing Aid Features
In some cases, the new features available on hearing aids are enough to prompt an update. Older models of hearing aids used acoustic amplification and replaceable batteries to meet your needs, but newer models use Digital Signal Processors (DSPs) and rechargeable batteries to give a comprehensive package of features that exceed the old models. One exciting development in hearing aid technology is the introduction of Bluetooth connectivity. When your hearing aids are connected to your smartphone through Bluetooth, the options work in two ways. First, you can wirelessly change the settings on your devices with an app that controls volume, background noise, and other audio factors. In addition, you can send audio to your hearing aids from phone notifications, calls, music, and other media. By integrating with Bluetooth, your hearing aids can transform into easily adjusted devices that double as wireless earbuds. These new features, among others, might be enough to make you consider an update to your hearing aids. Although the old models might continue to work in a basic way, you might be interested in some of these exciting new features.
If you are curious about what options are available in new hearing aids, simply give us a call to learn more. We will likely begin with a hearing test to see if your current aids are continuing to meet your needs. With that updated diagnosis in hand, we can discuss the latest hearing aids, what they offer to you, and whether you might be interested in getting an update!