When should I upgrade my hearing aids?
This is a common question we hear from our patients, and the answer requires some thought. While hearing aids typically have a life-span of 3-7 years, there are a few circumstances in which you may want to upgrade sooner.
Here are 4 reasons you may want to consider an upgrade.
1. Your hearing aids are no longer working well
If your hearing aids are not operating as effectively as they used to, the first thing to look into 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 compromised beyond repair, on the other hand, or if they are beyond their regular life-span, you may want to upgrade to a new pair.
2. Your hearing needs are not being met
Let’s say you secure a new job that will require a lot of talking on the phone, which has regularly been a problem for you with your present hearing aids. You hear about a new model of hearing aid that can stream calls wirelessly from your iPhone straight to your hearing aids, producing clear sound that you can freely adjust. In this scenario, you may want to upgrade your hearing aids to cater to your new hearing requirements.
It’s a great idea to create a list of all the scenarios in which your present hearing aids are not functioning to your liking. Then, by consulting with a hearing specialist, you can find the hearing aids that can better fulfill your needs.
3. Your hearing has changed
Hearing can and does change throughout the years, and it’s a possibility that your current hearing aids, while initially sufficient, are now not capable of handling your hearing loss. If this is the case, you will need a new hearing examination and a new set of hearing aids programmed to match your hearing loss.
4. You want to reap the benefits of cutting edge technology
Hearing aid technology is advancing quickly; just ten years ago it would have sounded like science-fiction to imagine that you could stream music wirelessly from your iPod to your hearing aids. Each year, powerful 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 purchased a new Apple Watch and you learned that a few 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 in the end 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 benefit from?
Hearing aid technology is evolving rapidly, and most of our patients are amazed to learn what the new hearing aid models are capable of. And the fact 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 might be surprised at what you find.
