When should I upgrade my hearing aids?
This is a common 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 several scenarios in which you may desire to upgrade sooner.
Here are 4 reasons you may want to consider an upgrade.
1. Your hearing aids are no longer performing well
If your hearing aids are not performing as effectively as they used to, the first thing to consider is cleaning or repair.
Hearing aids are subjected to earwax, moisture, 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 compromised beyond repair, on the other hand, or if they are past their standard life-span, you may wish to upgrade to a new pair.
2. Your hearing needs are not being met
Let’s say you secure a new job that necessitates a lot of talking on the phone, which has consistently been a problem for you with your present hearing aids. You hear about a new model of hearing aid that can stream phone calls wirelessly from your iPhone straight to your hearing aids, producing clear sound that you can quickly adjust. In this situation, you may want to upgrade your hearing aids to satisfy your new hearing needs.
It’s a smart idea to put together a list of all the instances in which your current hearing aids are not operating to your liking. Then, by speaking 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 over the years, and it’s a possibility that your current hearing aids, while sufficient at first, are now not capable of handling your hearing loss. If this is the case, you will require a new hearing assessment and a new set of hearing aids programmed to complement your hearing loss.
4. You want to reap the benefits of new technology
Hearing aid technology is evolving rapidly; just ten years ago it would have seemed like science-fiction to imagine that you could stream music wirelessly from your iPod to your hearing aids. Each year, extraordinary new functionality is added to new hearing aid models, and you may find that you’d like to take advantage of the new technology.
For instance, maybe you just bought a new Apple Watch and you learned that a few of the new hearing aid models are compatible. If you wish to control your hearing aids with the watch, you would need to upgrade to a compatible model.
The decision to upgrade your hearing aids essentially comes down to answering two questions:
- Are my current hearing aids meeting all of my listening needs?
- Is there new technology or functionality that I would like to take advantage of?
Hearing aid technology is evolving rapidly, and many of our patients are amazed to discover 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 know what some of your options are, give us a call today and we’ll show you all the available technology and how it could make your life better and easier. You might be surprised at what you find.