Things have changed since your great, great grandpa held an ear trumpet up to his ear. Modern hearing aids are able to do so much more than these devices could do even 10 years ago. The innovation of hearing aid technology permits users to do activities that were impossible in the past. Hearing aids can now do the following things.
1. Prevent Accidental Damage While Exercising
Once upon a time, it would have been risky to ride a bike or jog with your hearing aids in place. Even top quality hearing aids can be damaged if they fall out while you are exercising. These days whether you are an athlete or novice it is possible to exercise while your hearing aid is in.
The evolution here is not in the technology, however. Hearing aids that fall out can still become damaged or lost. The straightforward concept of a hearing aid retention cord solves the problem. Consider it a lanyard for your hearing aids. They clip to your clothes and slide on to the hearing aid as a safety measure. Hearing aid retention cords area smart choice for kids, too.
2. Resist Water
While it is true many hearing aids are resistant to water, they still don’t do well when completely submersed. Instead, if you want to swim you’ll need to invest in waterproof hearing aids and consider a few add-ons.
Begin with a raincoat for your hearing aids. Waterproof Sleeves fit securely over the devices to protect them from water damage while still allowing you to hear. A cord also comes with most sleeves so you won’t lose your hearing aid when enjoying summer activities.
A dehumidifier is another piece of equipment you might want to get. It doesn’t matter how careful you are, some amount of water will get inside the case. The dehumidifier dries the units out without damaging their fragile electronic parts.
3. Pair With Your Smartphone
No more taking the hearing aid out when your phone rings. However, some brands don’t have this feature. You want to buy hearing aids that are Bluetooth-enabled or come with 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 comes in handy there, too. With Bluetooth or wireless, the hearing aids can receive sound from your TV or MP3 player.
Also, for cell phones or landlines, these hearing aids have a phone function. Telephone adaptation uses a telecoil to pick up signals from the phones so you can hear them in your hearing aids.
4. Learn
That’s right, machine learning features are available in many models. Some devices will make volume adjustments depending on the environment by remembering your preference and you won’t have to do anything.
They can also come with a number of programs so you can store a particular setup in the memory and push a button to recall it when the time is right.
5. Make the Ringing Go Away
For lots of people tinnitus and loss of hearing go hand in hand. Hearing aids which include tinnitus maskers or sound generators will play a low-level sound in the background that covers up the ringing, so you hear sounds better. The masking sound cancels out the tinnitus, and that ringing stops. Tinnitus masking is a particular feature, though, and not available from all brands. If you are shopping for hearing aids, and require this function, you will have to ask for it.
6. Store Data
A powerful new feature in hearing aids is data logging. The devices log things such as when you use the hearing aids, times you make volume changes and what background noises you encounter.
Essential adjustments can be made when your audiologist or hearing aid retailer a*/ccess this information bettering sound quality.
7. Go Remote
Hearing aids that come with remotes allow you to quickly change programs, adjust the volume or even act as a Bluetooth streaming device.
All of these functions allow you to do things that weren’t possible years ago even though they aren’t all brand new. Hearing aid technology is always advancing, too. Be sure to check out the latest features when you’re buying a new hearing aid. Make an appointment with a hearing care expert to see them all.