How Often Should You Upgrade Your Hearing Aids?

You’ve spent a lot of time and energy getting your new hearing aids, and you’re hoping they last forever. High-quality, newer hearing aids are pretty durable and can last three to seven years–or longer. So, they don’t last forever but can last many years depending on several factors.

Variables affecting hearing aid life include:

• Quality of the hearing aids
• How well they are maintained
• The wear and tear they experience

Once your hearing aids stop working reliably, you likely need either a significant repair or, more likely, a new device. Even if your hearing aids are working fine, you may want to visit your hearing professional for an upgrade after a few years. Technology changes rapidly, and every year brings new and improved ways to help you hear better.

So, how often should you upgrade your hearing aids? Follow along as the Hearing Associates of Las Vegas helps you decide.

Hearing Changes

One thing is for sure, as we age, nothing is getting easier. Each of us can attest that simple things we used to take for granted now need our attention. While our hearing isn’t simple, it degrades as we age, so the hearing aids you bought a few years ago may not be cutting it.

There are only so many adjustments that can be made on most hearing aids, so when your hearing needs more help, it’s time to seek professional help and likely new technology. When you turn on your hearing aids, you don’t want to worry whether they will help you throughout your day.

Just as you need to change your eyeglass prescription over time, you will need to adjust to your hearing loss. The technology is out there. You simply need to explore and see what’s right for you.

Your Hearing Aids Are Old

With all the wear and tear your hearing aids take day after day, it’s no wonder the average life expectancy of most hearing aids is around five years. Simpler devices used daily like AirPods rarely last that long, which is a testament to the technology. No matter how well you maintain your hearing aids, they will eventually succumb to the inevitable thanks to moisture and tiny debris that’s hard to clean.

Older models simply can’t compete with the latest and greatest hearing aids hitting the market. Newer models are more efficient and are essentially miniature computers working to give you the best hearing possible. Most new models will help with background noise, amplify the key speaker in a conversation, and are flexible with smartphone apps and Bluetooth technology.

Life Changes

One thing you can count on besides death and taxes is that life never stays the same. Changes in your career, home, hobbies, or aging can put new demands on your hearing. A new job in a noisy environment, like a construction zone, school, or health club, can mean a drastic change in your hearing requirements.

But other changes in your life might mean the same thing. Perhaps you will move in with family, into a group home, or take up a hobby where hearing is essential, like ballroom dancing. If your hearing aids were fitted for a quieter lifestyle, you might now need hearing aids with more capabilities or power.

When life changes, you may realize that the technology level you have is outdated or not meeting the demands of your new life. Basic hearing aids may have suited you once, but now you may need hearing aids that can withstand a more rugged, loud, or windy environment.

Some people get new, upgraded hearing aids and keep their older, functional ones as a backup pair.

Changes In Hearing Technology

Hearing technology has advanced so much that many features not available just a few short years ago are here. These are features that you may have been waiting for but couldn’t get. Many hearing aid brands are more innovative than ever and help your brain separate your main conversation from annoying background noises. This helps increase comprehension and reduce tiredness.

Advancement in hearing aid technology has made life more enjoyable too! You can easily connect to all your electronic devices like:

• Televisions
• Computers
• Smartphones
• Audio equipment and more

Not only that, but hearing aids can be completely invisible, have more colors, and have more options for size, fit, and comfort.

Ways To Help Your Hearing Aids Last Longer

If you are going to spend your hard-earned money on hearing aids, you want them to last. The 4-6 year lifespan can be achieved by taking care of them, following these simple tips.

• Daily Cleaning– Wipe off any moisture, debris, or wax buildup, even around the battery door.
• Keep Them Dry– Moisture is a hearing aid killer. Always avoid getting them wet.
• Battery Life– Open the battery door when not in use to extend the life of your batteries.
• Replace Worn Parts– Replace worn tubes and filters to ensure the highest clarity of sound.
• Regular Professional Maintenance– When performance drops off, have a professional tune-up your hearing aids.

Keeping up with advances in hearing technology–regardless of the state of your current hearing aids–pays dividends. Next time you visit our office, ask us about what we can do to improve your hearing and life. You might be stunned!