Have you recently been prescribed hearing aids to treat a hearing loss? Are you in the market for an updated pair of hearing aids? There’s no denying that hearing aids are a life-changing addition to your life, helping you reconnect to your loved ones and the sounds of your life.
At Advanced Hearing Solutions, we are committed to helping you find the pair of hearing aids that are right for you. While there are copious options available, we want to be sure that your hearing aids treat your specific hearing needs and fit into your lifestyle. Our hearing aid fittings help to ensure the best fit, quality of sound, and a natural listening experience.
If you are overwhelmed by the many options available, don’t worry! Our team is here to work with you. Here is a guide of things to consider when selecting new hearing aids.
Hearing Aid Style
Hearing aids are worn in a few styles: in-the-ear, behind-the-ear, and receiver-in-canal. Most manufacturers offer hearing aids in these different styles, so it comes down to the degree of your hearing loss and the fit that works best to meet your needs.
In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids are worn in the ear, with the shell or half-shell of the hearing aid sitting at the surface of the ear. ITE hearings aids treat several degrees of hearing loss. ITE hearing aids also come in very discreet options, such as the completely-in-canal hearing aid and the invisible-in-canal hearing aid. ITE hearing aids are great for people who wear glasses, but if you have dexterity issues, the small controls of ITE hearing aids may pose difficulty.
Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids are worn over the ear. The electronic components are housed in a plastic casing that rests on the back of your ear, while a plastic tube delivers sounds to your ears. BTE hearing aids treat a wider range of hearing loss than ITE, from mild to profound. They are also often recommended for pediatric hearing loss as they are flexible as children grow.
Batteries: Rechargeable or Traditional?
All hearing aids are powered by batteries, and now there are exciting new options available from leading hearing aid manufacturers. Rechargeable hearing aids, powered by lithium-ion technology, provide confidence that your aids won’t run out of batteries at inopportune moments. With a single overnight charge, rechargeable hearing aids can provide as much as 24 hours of unfettered listening!
Hearing aids that use traditional batteries are equally as reliable, as long as you make sure to carry an extra set of batteries when you’re out and about. The choice comes down to your lifestyle. If you find yourself out and about often, perhaps a pair of rechargeable hearing aids would be the more reliable option. Rechargeable hearing aids sometimes come with an on-the-go recharging pack that can give you extra juice when you need it most.
Additionally, take into consideration the listening environments you most commonly find yourself. The more sound and noise in your listening environment, the harder your hearing aids have to work to process and analyze sound data. This means your hearing aids will need more energy. If you’re mostly in quiet environments, then you may not require as much battery power.
Hearing Aid Features
Aside from the huge task of amplifying sound to help you hear, hearing aids are equipped with many sophisticated features to ensure a seamless and natural listening experience. With extra fast sound processing algorithms, hearing aids are tiny computers that do a lot in a very discreet package.
Popular hearing aid features include: improved speech recognition, noise cancellation, echo shield (to preserve sound in challenging acoustic environments), improved music processing for music lovers, feedback cancellation, and wireless connectivity, and more.
Made for iPhone hearing aids are designed to link up to your smartphones or personal electronic devices. This gives you access and control to your hearing aid features, allowing you to make adjustments with ease, when needed. Wireless connectivity also gives you the option to stream phone calls, music, and media directly to your hearing aids!
Visit Us at Advanced Hearing Solutions
There is a lot of exciting new hearing aid technology out there, and this is an excellent time to search for a new pair of hearing aids, whether they’re your first or your fourth. At Advanced Hearing Solutions, our team is ready to help you find the perfect pair for your hearing needs.