Things have changed since your great, great grandfather held an ear trumpet up to his ear. Modern hearing aids are capable of so much more than they could do even ten years ago. The innovation of hearing aid tech enables users to participate in activities that seemed unlikely in the past. Hearing aids can now do the following things.
1. Don’t Fall Out While Exercising
Jogging or riding a bike while wearing a hearing aid would have been risky in the past. Even top quality hearing aids can be damaged if they fall out while you are on the move. Now you can to keep your hearing aids in while working out whether you are a novice or an athlete.
The change here is not in the technology, though. Hearing aids that fall out can still get broken or lost. The straightforward idea of a hearing aid retention cord solves the problem. Think of it as a lanyard for your hearing aids. They attach to the devices and then clip to your clothes for safety. Kids will also benefit from hearing aid retention cords.
2. Resist Water
Most hearing aids don’t do well when fully underwater despite the fact that they are water resistant. Waterproof hearing aids and a few accessories will be needed if you plan to go swimming with your hearing aid.
Begin with a raincoat for your hearing aids. Your device is protected by waterproof sleeves that fit tightly over them 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 may want to get. Some amount of water will get into the case no matter what you do. The unit is dried out by the dehumidifier without causing damage to the sensitive components.
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 invest in hearing aids that are Bluetooth-enabled or have the wireless streaming capability. This technology lets them pair with your phone the same way Bluetooth earbuds or headphones do.
Interested in streaming a movie? Wireless is useful there, as well. With Bluetooth or wireless, the hearing aids can pick up sound from your TV or MP3 player.
Also, for cell phones or landlines, these hearing aids have a phone function. Signals from your phone can be heard in your hearing aid thanks to a telecoil.
4. Learn
That’s correct, machine learning features are available in many models. Some devices will make volume adjustments depending on the setting by remembering your preference and you don’t need to do anything.
They can also come with multiple programs so you can store a particular setup in the memory and push a button to load it when you need it.
5. Stopping The Ringing
Loss of hearing and tinnitus are closely linked for many people. Hearing aids which 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 better. The ringing will disappear after the masking sound cancels the tinnitus. Tinnitus masking is a specific feature, though, and not available from all brands. Be certain you ask for it if you are shopping for hearing aids.
6. Store Data
Data logging is one of the newer functions 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 pull up this data to make crucial modifications to the devices to improve their sound or give you insight to go on when buying new hearing aids.
7. Go Remote
Hearing aids that come with remotes permit you to quickly change programs, lower the volume or even act as a Bluetooth streaming device.
All of these functions enable you to do things that weren’t possible years ago despite the fact that they aren’t all brand new. Also, progress in hearing aid technology is always being made. If you go shopping for new hearing aids, make certain to check out the latest and greatest features. To see them all, make an appointment with a hearing professional right away.