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Hearing aids are truly amazing instruments. They capture, process, and redistribute sound all day long while remaining small enough to sit in or around our ears. My grandfather used to have an optimistic saying whenever his hearing aids would malfunction: “It’s pretty amazing they even work at all!”
The hearing aids of today, however, are far more advanced than the ones our grandparents’ generation had access to, and it seems that technology is advancing faster than we can keep up with! There are now hearing aids that can suppress background noise so effectively that speech recognition in noisy environments can be better than an unaided ear with normal hearing!
Still, hearing aids need to spend most of their time in our ear canals, which it may not surprise you to hear can be a hostile environment for sensitive electronics. We expect the lifespan of a hearing aid to be anywhere from 4-7 years under normal circumstances. That’s a pretty wide range, so let’s take a look at some of the factors that might help you decide whether it’s time to replace your hearing aids.
Do They Work?
It seems obvious that our hearing aids should work, but sometimes their performance can slip slowly over time such that we might not notice the degradation in sound quality. Regular maintenance and the occasional repair can help keep your hearing aids working their best, and the conditions inside your individual ear might also play a role. Some people have wetter earwax than others, and some people naturally perspire more than others. The wetter the environment your hearing aids spend their days inside, the harder it is to keep up with maintenance.
Some people with drier earwax might easily keep a set of hearing aids for five years without ever needing a service appointment, while most of us are not so lucky. Over time, the microphones and speakers in our hearing aids become clogged with earwax, moisture, and debris from the air. If you notice your hearing aids aren’t performing as well as you would expect, it could be that a little maintenance is in order. Changing wax filters and brushing debris out of sound ports can often restore functionality, making it so you can get some more use out of your current hearing aids.
Are You Getting the Sound You Need?
Try making a list of the 5 most important situations when you need to hear your best. Maybe it’s “talking on the phone in the car,” or maybe it’s “hearing everybody at the meeting table at work.” Now think about how your current hearing aids are helping you out in those situations. Maybe your hearing aids are working perfectly well for you, or maybe you think they could be doing a little better. New technology is coming into the hearing aid market all the time, so it may be that a new set of hearing aids could make your life a lot better.
Has Your Prescription Changed?
Hearing loss tends to get worse for a time, and then plateau at a certain level. If you’ve been wearing the same hearing aids for a year or two and you’re having trouble hearing again, you should get a hearing test and a “real ear” measurement. It may be that an adjustment to your fitment could make your current hearing aids work a lot better for you.
If your hearing loss has progressed very significantly, it could be that you need to look at a different model. Many hearing aids that are appropriate for mild to moderate hearing loss will not do much if your hearing loss has become more severe, but fear not: there is a model for you!
There are even hearing aids on the market now that let you take a hearing test right from your home using a smartphone app (still administered remotely by a hearing healthcare professional), and adjust fitment remotely based on your new prescription. This can be a great timesaver for those whose hearing aid prescription is expected to change.
The Most Important Thing: Your Hearing Healthcare
Whatever the state of your current hearing aids, the most important thing is that you’re able to live your life to the fullest regardless of hearing loss. Untreated hearing loss brings with it a cascade of negative health outcomes, both physical and mental, and undertreating hearing loss can have the same effect. We want to make sure you’re getting the treatment you need, so call the office or make an appointment today if you’re not getting the best out of your hearing aids.