Hearing aidsHow long do hearing aids last?The most common repairs required by hearing aids are based on dirt and debris blocking the microphones and the receivers. In other words, the majority of repairs required are sue to poor/low maintenance. Your hearing healthcare professional will review with you how to maintain your hearing aids, how to keep them clean and dry, how to change batteries etc. Nonetheless, if the hearing aids are well maintained, generally speaking, they can last 5 to 7 years. What are the "levels" of hearing aid technology? There are bascially two levels of hearing aid technology; analog and digital. ANALOG technology has been around for many decades. Analog technology offers limited capability, but is sometimes perfect for specific purposes. DIGITAL technology is the most sophisticated hearing aid technology. Today, virtually ALL hearing aids are digital signal processing instruments. Digital technology gives the audiologist maximum control over sound quality and sound processing characteristics. As of 2005, the OVERALL CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ratings of new hearing aids (which are essentially 90 percent digital) is 77 percent! There is qualitative and quantitative evidence that digital instruments outperform analog hearing aids. Digitals are not perfect, but they are extremely good -- However, not all digital hearing aids are the same! Within the "digital" world, there are better and lesser units...speak with your audiologist to be sure you're getting the right one for you. I ALWAYS recommend digital hearing aids, unless there is a compelling reason to recommend a specific analog product. Many people ask about pricing relating to digitals. It is important to know that thanks to the integration of digital products across hearing healthcare, better, faster, more reliable and less expensive digital hearing aids are the "norm." What are the most common hearing aid styles? There are many styles of hearing aids. The most common styles are listed below: ITE: In-The-Ear units are often the most comfortable, the least expensive and the easiest to operate. They are also the largest of the custom made styles. ITC: In-The-Canal units are usually more expensive than ITEs. They require good dexterity to control the volume wheel and they are smaller than ITEs. CIC: Completely-In-the-Canal units are the tiniest hearing aids made. They require a "removal string" due to their small size and the fact that they fit deeply into the ear canal. CICs do not usually have manual controls attached to them because they are too small. BTE: Behind-The-Ear hearing aids are the largest hearing aids and often the most reliable. BTEs have the most circuit options and they typically offer more power than custom made units. BTEs rest on the back of your ear. They are connected to the ear canal via custom-made plastic tubing; the earmold. The earmold is usually custom made from an ear impression to perfectly replicate the size and shape of your ear. OTE: Open Ear Products. These are a new family of products. A small, light weight processor sits out of sight, behind the ear. Sound is delivered into the ear canal by way of a nearly invisible tube or wire into the ear canal. The ear canal is kept open allowing other sounds to naturally enter or escape the ear. The results is a natural quality to sound and one's own voice, even when eating there is no distortion. They are so comfortable and lightweight that most people forget they are wearing them. How should I care for and maintain my hearing aids? More than 75 percent of all hearing aid repairs are due to moisture and earwax accumulating in the hearing aid. The vast majority of these repairs are 100 percent preventable. It is extremely important to clean the entire hearing aid every time it is removed from your ear by wiping and brushing it. To better protect your investment, use a DRY-AID kit every night! Electronic dry-aid kits are the best. They include a germicidal light that kills most bacteria and other germs. They also have desiccants to absorb moisture and fans to circulate air around the internal components of the hearing aid. Get in the habit of cleaning the hearing aid after each use and keeping the hearing aid in the dry-aid kit at night. The hearing aid is electronic and moisture is the enemy! Preventive maintenance is the key to trouble free, long life from a hearing aid. A well maintained hearing aid can easily last 5 to 7 years, maybe longer. How should I care for and maintain my hearing aids? More than 75 percent of all hearing aid repairs are due to moisture and earwax accumulating in the hearing aid. The vast majority of these repairs are 100 percent preventable. It is extremely important to clean the entire hearing aid every time it is removed from your ear by wiping and brushing it. To better protect your investment, use a DRY-AID kit every night! Electronic dry-aid kits are the best. They include a germicidal light that kills most bacteria and other germs. They also have desiccants to absorb moisture and fans to circulate air around the internal components of the hearing aid. Get in the habit of cleaning the hearing aid after each use and keeping the hearing aid in the dry-aid kit at night. The hearing aid is electronic and moisture is the enemy! Preventive maintenance is the key to trouble free, long life from a hearing aid. A well maintained hearing aid can easily last 5 to 7 years, maybe longer. Call Today! 941-342-9228
|
Copyright 2007
Site Designed by HealthyHearing.com