Hearing Aid Features

Thanks to constant innovation, modern digital hearing aids come with a wide variety of features to improve your hearing experience. Different features available will vary based on the hearing aid style and manufacturer.

Below is a chart covering common hearing aid features:

Hearing Aid Feature

Function of Feature

Benefit of Feature

Digital Noise Reduction

Reduces noise interference from speech and environmental sounds

Less noise pollution and improved clarity

Impulse Noise Reduction

Allows the hearing aid to differentiate between normal speech and sharp sounds

Sharp sounds are not amplified, and speech is enhanced

Wind Reduction

Reduces wind interference when sound signals are processed

Improved outdoor signal quality and hearing comfort

Feedback Management

Controls noises which leave the ear and create uncomfortable feedback sounds

Improved comfort with fewer feedback noises

Directional Microphone Systems

Allows for sound isolation in direction of microphone while eliminating background sounds

Greater speech comprehension with less noise pollution

Binaural Processing

Hearing aids communicate and work together to manage sound input

Clearer sound capturing, fewer sound processing delays, and less noise

Multiple Compression Channels

Increases volume of speech sounds while reducing the impact of loud environmental sounds

Increased sound speech quality, more comfortable listening

Learning / Training

Hearing aids learn from your settings input and remember

Faster listening adjustment, less handling required

Data Logging / Storage

Preferred listening settings are stored on hearing aid memory unit

Hearing instrument specialist can access information for hearing aid adjustments

Multiple Programs

Listening programs stored on hearing aid and can be accessed as needed

Easy swaps between various listening environments, greater listening clarity

Automatic Programming

Hearing aid automatically changes settings as it recognizes particular hearing environments

Improves ease of use, hands-free adjustment, and develops more over time

Bluetooth / Wireless Connectivity

Connect hearing aids to TV, smartphone, tablet, or other Bluetooth-enabled devices

Enjoy hands-free sync and improved clarity

Telecoil / Auto Telecoil

Use loop systems to stream sounds from various audio systems like the telephone, theater, and lecture hall

Improve clarity and quality of audio in difficult hearing environments

FM Compatibility

Allows hearing aid connection to FM system

Often helps children, easy to use and increased audio quality

Dust & Water-Resistance

Keeps dust and some moisture out of the hearing aid

Greater protection for hearing aid circuitry, extends lifespan

Rechargeable Batteries

Holds charge for 24-28 hours, and can be recharged to power hearing aids

No need to buy disposable batteries or change batteries out

Selecting the Best Hearing Aid Technology

The technology available in today’s hearing aids is much more complex than what patients have seen in the past and it’s for good reason. Hearing aids of today use artificial intelligence (A.I.) which gives them the ability to have machine learning. Meaning the more you wear your devices the smarter they become. The use of A.I. allows your hearing aid to personalize your listening experience uniquely to your individual lifestyle. The different features of your hearing aid all work together to make hearing easier than ever before. The difference between Basic, Advanced, and Premium technology has become more important than in previous years. The more advanced the hearing aid technology is the more natural the sound picture can become, making it easier to listen, especially when in background noise. This personalization will help take the strain out of listening so hard when in a restaurant, at a meeting, visiting with family, and many more complex listening environments.

Different lifestyles require different levels of technology. Basic level technology will be less expensive than advanced or premium and is a good budget option. However, choosing basic technology for your hearing aids when your lifestyle requires something more advanced can end up costing you more in the long run. It is important to spend time with your hearing care professional to determine which technology is best suited for your individual needs.

Benefits To More Features In Your Hearing Aid

The many functions available in today’s hearing aid technology are designed to improve your everyday listening experience.

Your hearing care professional has more tools available for programming a premium set of hearing aids, making them more automated so that you do not have to manually adjust them. More advanced hearing aids can be programmed for specific, everyday scenarios. These hearing aids would automatically adjust for a particular environment – from loud restaurants to quiet living room conversations. Technology that is more basic does not have quite as many automatic adjustments available and would often require manual adjustments as you change between noisy and quiet places.

“It is so important to have a good quality hearing aid because it does more than just magnify sound. Everybody can get hearing aids that magnify sounds, but the ability to discriminate at the frequencies for your hearing loss, and not just make everything louder,… makes it a more normal hearing.” -Dr. Dale Carrison, UMC of Southern Nevada Chief of Staff and Head of ER

With more advanced features in your hearing aid, the sounds around you are more natural. Premium hearing aids with more advanced features ease the burden of trying to listen and makes hearing an effortless act once again.

Discovering Which Hearing Aid Is Best For You

It is recommended that you work with a hearing care provider to best understand your hearing needs and therefore, the best set of hearing aids to rehabilitate your hearing loss. A hearing care professional will fit your hearing aid so they are comfortable and unburdensome. They will work with you to assess your needs based on your lifestyle and level of hearing loss. Then, your provider can adjust the settings within your hearing aid, allowing the many features to work together to provide an effortless and worthwhile hearing experience.

Today’s hearing aids are very advanced, with many features that work together to create a comfortable and exceptional listening experience. However, a hearing aid is only as good as the professional that fits it. It is important to work with a licensed hearing care provider that is familiar with current hearing aid models. They should be knowledgeable of the product they are fitting.

Work with the licensed hearing care provider to try different hearing aid models before purchasing them. Rehabilitation with a hearing aid can take weeks and even months for some to fully acclimate. A trial run with them before purchasing will give both you and your provider the ability to see that the technology you have been fit with is the right hearing aid needed for your journey to better hearing.

“The difference [when using hearing aids] is absolutely amazing. You’re able to look at someone and have a conversation and not have to go “huh?”, “excuse me?”, “what?”

It’s a tremendous difference. It was life-changing, essentially.”

– Dr. Dale Carrison, UMC Southern Nevada Head of ER and Chief of Staff