If you’re not really rich, a car really isn’t an impulse buy. Which means you will probably do a great deal of research ahead of time. You take a good look at things such as gas mileage, price point, and customer reviews. Google is your best friend right now. It is sensible to do this amount of research. You’re about to spend tens of thousands of dollars on something and spend years paying for it (unless, again, you are really wealthy). So you want to make sure your investment is well spent.

You’ll be considering how your purchase best fits your lifestyle and also practical things like safety, gas mileage, etc. What style of vehicle do you like? Do you require a lot of room to carry supplies around? How much power do you need to feel when you press down that accelerator?

So you need to take a close look at all of your possibilities and make some informed decisions so that you can get the most from your purchase. And that’s the same attitude you should have when selecting your hearing aids. They may not cost tens of thousands of dollars, but they are an investment. Figuring out which device will best fit your lifestyle and which device works best in general, is the best way to get the most out of your investment.

The benefits of hearing aids

In just the same way that you can discuss the benefits of a car in very general terms, you can also talk about the benefits of hearing aids in a similarly general way. Hearing aids are pretty awesome!

The advantages of hearing aids, for most individuals, are more tangible than simply helping you hear. Staying connected with your family and friends will be much easier with a good set of hearing aids. You’ll be able to more easily follow conversations during dinner, listen to your grandchildren tell you about cool dinosaurs, and chit-chat with the cashier at the grocery store.

It’s only logical that you would want to make your hearing aids last as long as possible given all of the benefits. You don’t want those benefits to go away.

Are higher quality hearing aids always more expensive?

There might be some people out there who would assume that the best way to make your hearing aid work better and last longer is to just buy the most expensive device they can.

And, to be certain, hearing aids can be an investment. Here are a couple of reasons why some hearing aids tend to be expensive:

• The technology inside of a hearing aid is really small and very advanced. So the package you’re paying for is extremely technologically potent.
• Hearing aids are also made to last for a long time. Especially if you take care of them.

But the most costly model won’t automatically be your best fit or work the best. There are a lot of variables to consider (including the extent of your hearing loss and, well, how much you can spend!) Do some hearing aids last longer than others? Certainly! But that isn’t always dictated by how expensive the device was in the first place.

In order to keep your hearing aids in good working condition, as with any other investment, they will call for regular care and maintenance. What’s more, your hearing aids will need to be tuned to your ears and adjusted for your unique level of hearing loss.

Be sure you get the correct hearing aids for you

So, what are your choices? When it comes to hearing aids, you’ll have numerous different styles and types to choose from. We can help you determine which hearing aids will be ideal for your hearing requirements. Here are the solutions you will have to pick from:

• Completely-in-the-Canal Hearing Aids (CIC): These types of hearing aids can deliver high-quality sound and tend to be very discrete (great for people who want to hide their hearing aids). The only problem is that they tend to have a shorter lifespan and battery life. And some of the most state-of-the-art features are typically missing because of their smaller size.
• In-the-Canal Hearing Aids (ITC): These hearing aids are custom molded to your ear canal, which makes them mostly discrete. Because they’re a little larger than CIC models, they may include more high-tech features. These devices are still rather small and some of the features can be a bit difficult to manipulate by hand. If you want your hearing aid to be discrete but also contain some advanced features, this style will be appropriate.
• In-the-Ear Hearing Aids: This type of hearing aid is molded to sit entirely inside your outer ear. A “half shell” version fits in your lower ear and a “full shell” version fits entirely in your ear. If you have complex hearing problems or need more powerful noise control, the more advanced technology and larger microphones will make these hearing aids a great option.
• Behind-the-Ear Hearing Aids (BTE): The speaker of this device fits in your ear and the more bulky electronic part sits behind your ear making them the best of both worlds in a way. The pieces are connected by a small tube, but for the most part, it’s fairly non-visible. These hearing aids offer many amplification solutions making them quite popular. These types are a great compromise between power and visibility.
• Receiving-in-the-Canal (or in the Ear) Hearing Aids (RIC or RITE): This is much like BTE hearing aids, except the speaker bit sits in the ear canal. They have the benefit of reducing wind noise and are usually less visible.
• Open-Fit Hearing Aids: Open-fit hearing aids tend to allow low-frequency sounds to enter the ear even while you’re hearing the device. This makes them a good fit for individuals who can hear those low-frequencies pretty well (but have trouble with high-frequency sounds). Though it works well for many individuals, it won’t be a good option for everybody.

Pros and Cons of over-the-counter hearing aids

Over-the-counter hearing aids (or OTC hearing aids, to keep inundating you with acronyms) are yet another alternative to consider. OTC hearing aids work okay in general, much like OTC medications. But if your hearing loss calls for a set of more powerful hearing aids or more specialized hearing aids, OTC devices might fall a bit short. Prescription hearing aids can be fine-tuned to your specific hearing needs which is a feature generally not available with OTC hearing aids.

Regardless of what kind of hearing aid you choose to buy, it’s always a good idea to speak with us about what will work best for your specific needs.

Repair and maintenance

Of course, once you’ve taken all of the steps to pick out your perfect hearing aid type, you should take care of it. Just like your car needs oil changes now and then.

So how frequently will your hearing aids need to be assessed? Generally, you should schedule a routine upkeep and cleaning appointment for your hearing aids every six-to-twelve months. This gives you an opportunity to be certain everything’s working effectively and as it should!

It’s also a good idea to be somewhat familiar with your device’s warranty. If and when you require repair, knowing what’s covered by that warranty and what’s not can save you some money! So now you’re wondering: how can I make my hearing aids last longer? The answer is usually simple: good upkeep and a strong warranty.

Is there a hearing aid that’s the best?

There isn’t a single greatest all-time hearing aid. If you go to see twelve different hearing specialists and ask for the “best” hearing aid, they might provide you with twelve different models.

The secret is to choose the best hearing aid for you and for your needs. Just like with a vehicle, for some an SUV will be best, and for others, a minivan will best fit their lifestyles. It all just depends, and the same goes for hearing aids.

But you will have an easier time choosing the hearing aid that’s best for you if you are well informed ahead of time. Call us to schedule a consultation today!

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References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/in-depth/hearing-aids/art-20044116