It’s difficult to be without your hearing aid once you get used to having one. After all, your hearing aids are crucial to connect to your world. But just as any technology you use every day, it will periodically need to be replaced or upgraded.
The Average Hearing Aid Lifespan
So the typical hearing aid will last how long?3 to 5 years will be the normal lifespan of a typical hearing aid. So that you can be sure hearing aids are still your best choice, you should have your hearing examined regularly because there’s no hard and fast rule. Assuming your hearing doesn’t change, some models age more rapidly than others and technology is continuously changing.
Your Hearing Aid Longevity Might be Influenced by These Factors
But that’s only the average life of a hearing aid. Which means that there are a lot of people who might see their hearing aids last much longer. How long your hearing aids will last is influenced by a number of factors:
- Frequent care and upkeep: A hearing aid is like most other pieces of technology in many ways: the better you take care of it, the longer it will last. That’s why you should always clean your hearing aids and perform regular maintenance just as the manufacturer suggests.
- Your Hearing Changes: If you’re an adult and you have a hearing aid, you’ve most likely gone with one of those little, easy to hide devices. Those devices are usually very precisely calibrated and they have precisely the amount of power you need. So if your hearing gets worse (not ideal, obviously, but it does happen), you may need to change to a more powerful set of hearing aids.
- Build quality: It’s expensive to buy hearing aids. But, as with most things in life, you commonly get what you pay for. The better the build quality, the longer your hearing aid should last.
- Complexity of the hearing aid: The more complex your hearing aid is, the more variables you have to contend with (meaning there’s more that can go wrong). However, sometimes you need that additional complexity, and often, it winds up being worth it. But added complex technology does present a breakability element. Advanced hearing aids have gotten quite clever about presenting more functionality using software rather than hardware, which does help.
- How frequently you wear your hearing aids: So if you wear your hearing aid more often, you will to replace it sooner. But modern hearing aids are made to be used for long durations so that’s not always the case. It’s really more accurate to say that if you turn the power on and off a lot, you will have to replace your hearing aid sooner.
- Capability: Hearing aids have been changing along with constantly advancing technology. If you want your hearing aids to have the sharpest sound, you may want to upgrade. This will also allow you to sync your device to your television, smartphone and other devices.
Can You Make Your Hearing Aids Last Longer?
We need to recognize that hearing aids are pretty personal things. They may have custom molds and in many cases are programmed specifically for your ears. Also, they are a considerable investment. So it’s a common objective to get the most that you can from your hearing aid.
And it’s one you can accomplish. Caring for your hearing aids is the best thing you can do to be certain that your hearing aids last as long as possible. Getting them wet or dropping them are things you should not do if possible. And be sure to do all the required maintenance and cleaning.
You’ll normally be able to get around five years out of a hearing aid. Whether it’s possible to get more than that is, generally, up to chance. But at some point when you have to make a decision. Ultimately, you will likely want the new features provided by modern hearing aids. So, in order to determine which hearing aid is the best one for you, schedule a hearing exam today.