Since the times when your great, great granddad used one of those ear trumpets to hear, things have changed. Newer hearing aids are able to do so much more than they could do even ten years ago. The advancement of hearing aid technology enables users to do activities that seemed impossible in the past. Just think about these seven things hearing aids are now capable of doing.
1. Don’t Fall Out While Exercising
Jogging or riding a bike with a hearing aid in would have been risky in the past. Even top quality hearing aids can be damaged if they fall out while you are on the move. Now it’s possible to keep your hearing aids in when you’re working out whether you are a novice or an athlete.
However, the evolution is not only in the technology. You still can break or lose your hearing aids if they fall out. Innovation wins out with a simple approach: hearing aid retention cords. It’s sort of like putting your hearing aids on a lanyard. They clip to your clothes and slide on to the hearing aid as a security measure. Hearing aid retention cords area great option for kids, too.
2. Resist Water
Most hearing aids don’t do well when fully underwater even though they are water resistant. Instead, if you want to swim you’ll need to get yourself waterproof hearing aids and consider some add-ons.
Begin with a raincoat for your hearing aids. Waterproof Sleeves fit tightly over the devices to protect them from water damage while still allowing you to hear. Most of the sleeves come with cords that attach to your clothing too, so you don’t lose the hearing aids when you are enjoying some summer activities.
The second thing you might want to get is a dehumidifier for your hearing aids. It doesn’t matter how careful you are, some water will get inside the case. The dehumidifier dries the units out without damaging their fragile electronic components.
3. Pair With Your Smartphone
No more having to remove your hearing aid when your phone rings. However, certain brands don’t have this feature. You want to purchase hearing aids that are Bluetooth-enabled or have the wireless streaming capability. This technology lets them pair with your phone the same way Bluetooth earbuds or headphones do.
Want to stream a movie? Wireless comes in handy there, too. Sound from your MP3 player or TV can be picked up by a hearing aid that is equipped with Bluetooth technology.
Also, for cell phones or landlines, these hearing aids have a phone function. Signals from your phone can be heard in your hearing aid thanks to a telecoil.
4. Learn
That’s right, machine learning features are available in many models. Some devices will remember what volume you prefer in different settings and will make the adjustment without you having to do anything, for example.
You can also just press a button and load a specific setup stored in one of the multiple programs.
5. Stopping The Ringing
For lots of people tinnitus and loss of hearing go hand in hand. Hearing aids that include tinnitus maskers or sound generators will play a low-level sound in the background that masks the ringing, so you hear sounds better. The masking sound cancels out the tinnitus, and that ringing stops. Not all brands come with this tinnitus masking technology. Make certain you ask for it if you are shopping for hearing aids.
6. Store Data
Data logging is one of the newer features in hearing aid technology but a compelling one. Volume changes, when you use the hearing aid, and background noises you come across are examples of things that are logged by these devices.
The advantage is your audiologist or hearing aid retailer can pull up this data to make crucial adjustments to the devices to improve their sound or give you information to go on when shopping for new hearing aids.
7. Go Remote
You can quickly adjust the volume, change the program, or use your hearing aid as a Bluetooth streaming device if you have a remote.
Not all of these functions are new, but they all assist you in doing things with your hearing aids that weren’t possible years ago. Also, advancements in hearing aid technology are always being made. Be sure to take a look at the latest features when you’re purchasing a new hearing aid. To see them all, make an appointment with a hearing expert right away.
