Things have changed since your great, great grandfather held an ear trumpet up to his ear. Modern hearing aids are capable of so much more than these devices could do even 10 years ago. The innovation of hearing aid tech permits users to do activities that seemed impossible at one point. Just consider these seven things hearing aids are currently 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. When you are moving around, hearing aids can fall out and that even goes for high quality devices. These days whether you are an athlete or novice it is possible to exercise while wearing your hearing aids.
The change here is not in the technology, though. You still can break or lose your hearing aids if they fall out. The simple idea of a hearing aid retention cord wins the day. It’s sort of like having your hearing aids on a lanyard. They clip to your clothes and slide on to the hearing aid as a security measure. Kids will also benefit from hearing aid retention cords.
2. Resist Water
While it is true most hearing aids are resistant to water, they still won’t do well when completely submersed. Waterproof hearing aids and a couple of accessories will be required if you plan to swim with your hearing aid.
Start with a protective covering for your hearing aids. Your device is shielded by waterproof sleeves that fit securely over them while still allowing you to hear. Many of the sleeves come with cords that attach to your clothing too, so you don’t lose the hearing aids while enjoying some summer activities.
Another thing you may want to invest in is a dehumidifier for your hearing aids. No matter how careful you are, some amount of water is going to get into the case. The dehumidifier dries the devices out without damaging their fragile electronic components.
3. Pair With Your Smartphone
Now when your phone rings you won’t have to take your hearing aids out. Not all hearing aid brands have this feature, however. You want to purchase hearing aids that are Bluetooth-enabled or have the wireless streaming capability. This technology allows them to pair with your phone the same way Bluetooth earbuds or headphones do.
Would you like to stream a movie? Wireless is useful there, as well. With Bluetooth or wireless, the hearing aids can pick up sound from your TV or MP3 player.
The majority of hearing aids come with a telephone adaptation, as well, that works for both cell phones or landlines. Telephone adaptation makes use of a telecoil to receive signals from the phones so you can hear them in your hearing aids.
4. Learn
That’s right, machine learning capabilities are available in many models. Some devices will remember what volume you prefer in different situations and will make the adjustment without you having to do anything, for instance.
They can also include a number of programs so you can store a specific setup in the memory and push a button to load it when you need it.
5. Make the Ringing Go Away
Hearing loss and tinnitus go hand in hand for lots of people. You will hear sounds more clearly because your hearing aid can generate tinnitus masking noises. The masking noise cancels out the tinnitus, and that ringing goes away. Not all brands include this tinnitus masking tech. Be 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 adjustments, when you use the hearing aid, and background noises you encounter are examples of things that are logged by these devices.
Critical modifications can be made when your audiologist or hearing aid retailer a*/ccess this data bettering sound quality.
7. Go Remote
You can quickly lower the volume, change the program, or use your hearing aid as a Bluetooth streaming device if you have a remote.
All of these features enable you to do things that were impossible years ago even though they aren’t all brand new. Hearing aid technology is constantly progressing, too. If you’re buying new hearing aids, be certain to check out the latest and greatest features. To see them all, schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist right away.