People who are suffering from hearing loss, both young and old, frequently avoid getting help. Even as hearing aids have become less conspicuous, only a small percentage of those who need them actually wear them.
Reasons vary, from fear of appearing old to discomfort with the fit or the sound. Sometimes a person may not realize that their hearing is failing because their hearing has diminished gradually over a long period of time.
What people today should know is they don’t have to accept and struggle with hearing difficulties. Improvements in technology have made hearing aids more comfortable, more convenient, and completely compatible for anyone’s needs and lifestyle.
Wireless technology and your hearing aid
One of the biggest advantages today is the ability to adjust and fine-tune your hearing aid using your smartphone. Simply download an app to your android or iPhone.
New users of hearing aids are frequently frustrated by the time and multiple visits it takes to get their hearing aids just right. Once they are fine-tuned, many still struggle with noisy environments, where background noise can interfere with a conversation. The app allows users to adjust their hearing aids immediately to accommodate their environment.
This same technology also allows sound to be streamed directly from a phone or television, making it easier for the user to hear without ambient noise interference.
Also available is an app that allows hearing aid users to receive wireless adjustments from their hearing specialists. Based on your description of your problem, your specialist can send adjustments to the app, which can then be implemented simply by holding your phone close to your hearing aid and tapping install. No office visit is needed!
Rechargeable hearing aids
Today’s hearing aids can now be conveniently recharged rather than replacing tiny batteries on a regular basis. Trying to stay ahead of weakening batteries has long been an inconvenience for users, but for older folks with diminished dexterity, batteries can be extremely difficult to manage. New technology provides for hearing aids that can be recharged nightly alongside your iPhone and other devices, providing you with full strength service for up to 30 hours.
Separate voice processing
A common complaint for those new to hearing aids is adjusting to the sound of their voice. When a hearing aid is blocking the ear canal, one’s own voice sounds much louder than outside noises and in some cases a bit distorted. New technology allows hearing aids to process your voice separately from other sounds, providing you with comfortable hearing without the distortion and distraction of your own voice.
Other advances
Hearing aids today can provide you with a multitude of other benefits:
- Your hearing aid can detect if you fall and call 9-1-1.
- Use your hearing aid to monitor your health and physical activity, including your vital signs.
- Some hearing aids can provide language translation in real time.
- Advanced hearing aids work in conjunction with cochlear implants used by those with profound hearing loss.
- For minor hearing loss, check with a specialist about wireless ear buds that enhance conversations while blocking out ambient noise
Don’t spend another day struggling to hear. For more information about hearing aid technology and to learn whether you may benefit from a hearing aid, contact Hear Again Hearing Center, or click here.