When should I upgrade my hearing aids?
This is a typical question we hear from our patients, and the answer demands some thought. While hearing aids normally have a life-span of 3-7 years, there are a few cases in which you may want to upgrade earlier.
Here are 4 reasons you may want to consider a hearing aid upgrade.
1. Your hearing aids are no longer working well
If your hearing aids are not performing as effectively as they once did, the first option to consider is cleaning or repair.
Hearing aids are subjected to earwax, moisture, and other particles, so your hearing aids may simply need a cleaning. In other cases, the electronics within the hearing aids need 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 average life-span, you might want to upgrade to a new pair.
2. Your hearing needs are not being fulfilled
Let’s say you obtain a new job that necessitates a lot of speaking on the phone, which has consistently been a challenge for you with your existing hearing aids. You learn about a new kind of hearing aid that can stream phone calls wirelessly from your iPhone directly to your hearing aids, giving you clear sound that you can conveniently adjust. In this scenario, you might want to upgrade your hearing aids to match your new hearing needs.
It’s a smart idea to put together a list of all the instances in which your existing hearing aids are not operating to your liking. Then, by talking with a hearing specialist, you can identify the hearing aids that can better meet your requirements.
3. Your hearing has changed
Hearing can and does change over time, and it’s possible that your existing hearing aids, while initially sufficient, are now incapable of handling your hearing loss. If this is the situation, you will need a new hearing exam and a new set of hearing aids programmed to complement your hearing loss.
4. You want to make the most of cutting edge technology
Hearing aid technology is improving rapidly; just 10 years ago it would have sounded like science-fiction to believe that you could stream music wirelessly from your iPod to your hearing aids. Each year, incredible new functionality is added to new hearing aid models, and you may find that you’d like to take advantage of the new technology.
As an example, maybe you just purchased a new Apple Watch and you learned that some of the new hearing aid types are compatible. If you want to control your hearing aids with the watch, you would need to upgrade to a compatible model.
The decision to upgrade your hearing aids basically boils down to answering two questions:
- Are my current hearing aids fulfilling all of my listening requirements?
- Is there new technology or functionality that I would like to take advantage of?
Hearing aid technology is evolving rapidly, and most of our patients are surprised to find out 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 to you.
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 may be surprised at what you discover.