Being a new hearing aid owner, you’re likely to be curious about the different accessories and add-ons that are available. In this post we offer an overview of popular hearing aid accessories that you might want to consider. Certain accessories work only with a particular hearing aid model type, but these broad suggestions are applicable to nearly every hearing aid owner.
The first thing you should think of is less an accessory than a necessity; stock up on batteries, because you are going to need them. Expect that disposable batteries will need to be replaced every 5 to 14 days.
Next on your list of “must have” accessories should be a hearing aid dehumidifier to protect it from moisture and thus keep it working well. You place the aids into the dehumidifier at night, when you’re not wearing them. Cleaning kits are available to keep the exterior of your hearing aids clean. Ear wax filters help keep wax from accumulating on the aids when you are wearing them.
When it comes to options that can increase your use of and enjoyment of your aids, you should look into the Bluetooth compatibility options provided by the manufacturer of your hearing aid. Modern digital hearing aids can be configured to support the Bluetooth connection standard, and thus stream sound to your aids directly from compatible devices such as audio players, mobile phones, and televisions. Having a Bluetooth connection to these devices means that you don’t have to sit near them or turn the sound up to enjoy them.
For those of you with analog hearing aids that don’t support Bluetooth, you can accomplish almost the same thing with an FM system that places a remote microphone and transmitter near the TV or stereo and uses a receiver closer to your hearing aid to pick up and amplify the sound. Such FM systems don’t cost very much, and may be useful if you share spaces with other people, because you don’t have to turn up the volume on stereos or TVs such that everyday conversations become difficult to hear.
There are constantly new hearing aid accessories being introduced. If you have questions about these or any others, just ask. Having the right accessories will help you get greater enjoyment and use out of your hearing aid.