Hearing aid technology gets better every year. New and improved programs and features provide hearing aid wearers with a range of great options to choose from. Whether you’re shopping for your first hearing aids or you’re ready to upgrade your old devices, here are some of the different hearing aid features you can choose from.
Bluetooth Compatibility
There’s a lot of buzz about Bluetooth compatibility. This feature is showing up in more and more hearing aids, and it might soon be the norm in most devices. Bluetooth compatibility allows you to wirelessly connect your hearing aids to any Bluetooth-enabled device. This could include your smartphone, your tablet, and your laptop. Once connected, audio from your smartphone or other devices will stream directly to your hearing aids! Audio will be crisp and clear, and you won’t have to strain to hear. This feature is great for anyone who wants to talk on the phone, participate in zoom meetings, watch movies, or enjoy listening to music or podcasts with ease.
There’s an App for That
Nowadays there seems to be an app for everything. And your hearing aids are no exception. Many hearing aids can now be fully controlled using a smartphone app. Rather than fiddling with buttons on the hearing aids, you can switch between programs, adjust settings, or turn up the volume all from your phone. Some apps also have speech-to-text functionality, so you can read what is being said around you.
Rechargeable Batteries
Are you tired of changing your hearing aid batteries? Do you wish you never had to fiddle with these tiny batteries or worry about getting them in properly? Another new feature is rechargeable hearing aids. These hearing aids have a built-in battery that you never need to remove. Instead, you just place the hearing aids on their charging station overnight. While you’re sleeping the batteries get recharged. It’s as easy as that. After a night of charging, you can enjoy a full day of hearing.
Tinnitus Sound Therapy
Do you hear a ringing or buzzing sound in your ears? Tinnitus is a sound that you hear in your ears, but it’s not in the environment around you. This annoying sound is the most noticeable when you’re in a quiet room, or when you’re trying to fall asleep at night. Many hearing aids have tinnitus management programs to help you deal with tinnitus. This advanced feature plays a masking sound to fade tinnitus into the background. Some programs play white noise or pink noise. You can also choose between nature sounds or even sounds or music you upload to the program. When your tinnitus fades into the background you’ll be able to focus on the sounds you want to hear without being distracted by tinnitus.
Telecoil Technology
Another great feature to look for in your next hearing aids is a telecoil. This is a small wire inside the hearing aid that lets you wirelessly connect to PA systems in many venues. You’ll be able to hear every word spoken on stage right in your hearing aids. Not only can you hear more clearly, but this feature also eliminates distracting sounds between the speaker and your ears. Many venues have a loop system that is compatible with telecoil hearing aids. Many airports, train stations, and other transit centers are also using loop systems to help people with hearing loss hear more clearly.
Smart Hearing Aids
Another exciting new feature is smart hearing aid technology. Some hearing aid programs can actually learn your hearing preferences. These devices collect and store data about the listening environment and about the programs, settings, and volume you use in each environment. When you’re in a similar listening environment, these hearing aids will automatically adjust programs and settings to match your listening preferences.
Interested in Updating Your Hearing Aids?
If you’re looking for new hearing aids and want to explore these exciting new hearing aid features, contact us! We’ll help you find the perfect programs and settings that match your hearing needs, your lifestyle, and your budget. We work with hearing aid manufacturers from around the world to bring you the best hearing aids features and technology that will change the way you think about hearing aids.