Things have changed since your great, great grandpa held an ear trumpet up to his hear. Modern hearing aids are capable of so much more than these devices could do even 10 years ago. The innovation of hearing aid technology allows users to do activities that seemed unlikely at one point. Just consider these seven things hearing aids are now able to do.
1. Stay Put Even When You are Moving
Once upon a time, it would have been unheard of to ride a bike or jog with your hearing aids in place. Even the highest quality hearing aids are subject to damage if they fall out while you are on the move. Today whether you are an athlete or novice it is possible to exercise while wearing your hearing aids.
The change here is not in the technology, though. Hearing aids that fall out can still become damaged or lost. Innovation wins out with a straightforward concept: hearing aid retention cords. Consider it a lanyard for your hearing aids. They slide on to the devices and then clip to your clothes for safety. Hearing aid retention cords are great options for kids, too.
2. Resist Water
While it is true most hearing aids are water resistant, they still don’t do well when fully emerged. Instead, if you want to go swimming you’ll want to invest in waterproof hearing aids and consider a few accessories.
Start with a raincoat for your hearing aids. Waterproof Sleeves fit tightly over the devices to protect them from water damage while still allowing you to hear. Most of the sleeves have cords that attach to your clothing too, so you don’t lose the hearing aids while enjoying some summer fun.
The second thing you may want to invest in is a dehumidifier for your hearing aids. No matter how careful you are, some water is going to get into the case. The dehumidifier dries the units out without damaging their complex electronic components.
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3. Pair With Your Smartphone
No more taking the hearing aid out when your phone rings. Not all hearing aid brands do this, though. You want to purchase hearing aids that are Bluetooth-enabled or have 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? Wireless comes in handy there, too. With Bluetooth or wireless, the hearing aids can pick up sound from your TV or MP3 player.
Most hearing aids have a telephone adaptation, as well, that works for cell phones or landlines. Telephone adaptation uses a telecoil to pick up signals from the phones so you can hear them through your hearing aids.
4. Learn
That’s right, hearing aids have machine learning capabilities. Some devices will remember what volume you prefer in different environments and make the adjustment without you doing a thing, for example.
They can also come with multiple programs so you can store a specific setup in the memory and push a button to recall it when the time is right.
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5. Make the Ringing Go Away
Hearing loss and tinnitus go hand in hand for many people. Hearing aids that come with tinnitus maskers or sound generators will play a low-level sound in the background that masks the ringing, so you hear sounds better. The masking noise cancels out the tinnitus, and that ringing goes away. Tinnitus masking is a specific feature, though, and not available from all brands. Make sure you ask for it if you are shopping for hearing aids.
6. Store Data
Data logging is one of the newer features in hearing aid technology but a powerful one. The devices log things like when you use the hearing aids, times you make volume adjustments and what background noises you encounter.
The benefit is your audiologist or hearing aid retailer can pull up this data to make critical adjustments to the devices to improve their sound or give you information to go on when buying new hearing aids.
7. Go Remote
Hearing aids with remotes allow you to quickly change programs, lower the volume or even act as a Bluetooth streaming device.
Not all of these features are new, but they all help you do things with your hearing aids that weren’t possible years ago. Hearing aid technology is always advancing, too. If you go shopping for new hearing aids, make sure to take a look at the latest and greatest features.