Hearing aid technology is expanding and evolving to continue to offer users a better listening experience in any environment. Let’s take a look at a few exciting features that make life easier for people with hearing loss.
Four Exciting Modern Hearing Aid Features
- Directional microphones amplify sounds from the front of the user and reduce noise from other directions. They make it easier to follow conversations in places with background noise, like when you’re out enjoying a family dinner at Norton’s Restaurant. A 2016 study examining the effects of directional microphones found that “directional microphone processing effectively reduced the cognitive load of listening to speech in background noise.”
- Bluetooth® compatibility enables hearing aids to connect to your smartphone and other devices. It allows you to stream sound from your device directly into your hearing aids. This makes activities like phone calls, video meetings and even listening to music easier and more enjoyable by eliminating feedback and providing clearer sound quality.
- Hearing aid apps let you adjust your hearing aids, contact your audiologist or hearing specialist and monitor your battery all from your smartphone. Additionally, some have the ability to route phone calls directly into your device or covert speech to text.
- Rechargeable batteries allow users not to have to deal with the hassle of changing out disposable batteries every 3–10 days or having to carry extra batteries with them when they leave the house. This can be especially helpful for people with dexterity issues, as hearing aid batteries are quite small and may be difficult to hold. Instead, you can place your hearing aids in their charging station at night and wake up to a full day of battery power.
How To Know What Hearing Aids Are Right For You?
In addition to knowing what hearing aid technology can be most beneficial to you, it’s also important to consider a variety of other factors when choosing a hearing aid. Some considerations may include the following:
- Style preferences
- What model offers the most comfortable fit
- Your communication needs and areas where you really struggle to hear
- Your hobbies, interests and other daily activities
Be open with your audiologist, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s the best way to find a pair of hearing aids that makes it easy for you to navigate your daily life and continue to stay connected to the people and activities you care most about.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment for a hearing test, contact the experts at North Shore Audio-Vestibular Lab today.