Since the days when your great, great grandfather used one of those ear trumpets to hear, things have changed. Even ten years ago, hearing aids weren’t capable of doing the things they can do today. Activities that were impossible a few years in the past are currently possible because of advancements in hearing aid technology. Just consider these seven things hearing aids are now able to do.
1. Prevent Accidental Damage While Exercising
Jogging or riding a bike while wearing a hearing aid would have been unheard of in the past. When you are moving around, hearing aids can fall out even high quality ones. Nowadays whether you are an athlete or novice it is possible to exercise while wearing your hearing aids.
The evolution here is not in the technology, though. You can still break or lose your hearing aids if they fall out. Innovation wins out with a straightforward idea: hearing aid retention cords. Consider it a lanyard for your hearing aids. 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 many hearing aids are resistant to water, they still don’t do well when fully immersed. Instead, if you want to go swimming you’ll need to get yourself waterproof hearing aids and think about a few accessories.
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 have cords that attach to your clothing too, so you won’t lose the hearing aids while enjoying some summer fun.
A dehumidifier is another item you may want to get. Some amount of water will get inside the case no matter what you do. The unit gets dried out by the dehumidifier without causing damage to the fragile 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 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.
Want to stream a movie? This is another case where wireless capabilities are useful. 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 makes use of a telecoil to pick up signals from the phones so you can hear them in your hearing aids.
4. Learn
That’s right, hearing aids have machine learning features. Some devices will remember what volume you prefer in different settings and will make the adjustment without you doing a thing, for example.
They can also come with multiple programs so you can store a particular setup in the memory and push a button to recall it when you need it.
5. Getting Rid of The Ringing
Hearing loss and tinnitus go hand in hand for lots of people. 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 clearer. The masking noise cancels out the tinnitus, and that ringing stops. Not all brands include this tinnitus masking tech. Make certain you ask for it if you are shopping for hearing aids.
6. Store Data
A powerful new function in hearing aids is data logging. Volume changes, 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 adjustments to the devices to improve their sound or give you insight to go on when buying new hearing aids.
7. Go Remote
You can quickly lower the volume, change the program, or use your hearing aid as a Bluetooth streaming device if it comes with a remote.
All of these features enable you to do things that weren’t possible years ago despite the fact that they aren’t all brand new. Hearing aid technology is always advancing, too. Be certain to check out the latest features when you’re purchasing a new hearing aid. To see them all, schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist right away.