Since the days when your great, great grandpa used one of those ear trumpets to hear, things have changed. Even a decade ago, hearing aids weren’t capable of doing the things they can do now. The innovation of hearing aid technology permits users to do activities that were unlikely at one point. Just think about these seven things hearing aids are currently capable of doing.
1. Prevent Accidental Damage While Exercising
Once upon a time, it would have been unheard of to ride a bike or go jogging while wearing your hearing aids. When you are physically active, hearing aids can fall out even high quality ones. Nowadays whether you are an athlete or beginner it is possible to exercise while wearing your hearing aids.
However, the change is not just in the technology. You can still break or lose your hearing aids if they fall out. The straightforward idea of a hearing aid retention cord wins the day. Consider it a lanyard for your hearing aids. They slide on to the devices and then clip to your clothes for safety. Kids will also benefit from hearing aid retention cords.
2. Resist Water
While it is true many hearing aids are water resistant, they still won’t do well when fully submersed. Instead, if you want to go swimming you’ll need to invest in waterproof hearing aids and consider some add-ons.
Start with a protective covering for your hearing aids. Waterproof Sleeves fit tightly over the devices to shield them from water damage while still letting you hear. Many of the sleeves come with cords that connect to your clothing too, so you don’t lose the hearing aids when you are enjoying some summer fun.
A dehumidifier is another piece of equipment you might want to invest in. No matter how careful you are, some amount of water will get into 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 every time your phone rings. Not all hearing aid brands do this, however. 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 just like Bluetooth earbuds or headphones do.
Want to stream a movie? Wireless is useful in this situation, as well. Sound from your MP3 player or TV can be picked up by a hearing aid that is equipped with Bluetooth technology.
The majority of hearing aids have a telephone adaptation, also, that works for cell phones or landlines. 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 can 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 numerous programs.
5. Make the Ringing Stop
For lots of people tinnitus and hearing loss go hand in hand. Hearing aids that come with tinnitus maskers or sound generators will play a low-level sound in the background that covers up the ringing, so you hear sounds clearer. The masking sound cancels out the tinnitus, and that ringing goes away. Not all brands come with this tinnitus masking tech. Make certain you ask for it if you are shopping for hearing aids.
6. Store Data
Data logging is one of the more modern 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.
The advantage is your audiologist or hearing aid retailer can use this data to make critical modifications to the devices to improve their sound or give you information to go on when buying 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.
All of these functions allow you to do things that were impossible years ago even though they aren’t all brand new. Hearing aid tech is always advancing, too. Be sure to check out the latest features when you’re purchasing a new hearing aid. To see them all, make an appointment with a hearing expert right away.