All About Digital Hearing Aids

All About Digital Hearing Aids

In Hearing Aids by Jennifer Douberly, Au.D.

If you remember the hearing aids that your parents or grandparents used to wear, then you may be surprised to discover just how far hearing aid technology has advanced in the past twenty years. While older hearing aids were digital and prone to feedback and squealing, cutting edge digital technology has revolutionized the way we hear. Leading the way in computer miniaturization, hearing aids can now be programed in tiny, isolated steps. Each step is so tiny you won’t notice the subtle rise and fall in sound, but rest assured that the signal you receive will be strong, and crystal clear. Based upon your hearing exam, hearing aids can now enhance your hearing by amplifying only the sounds you struggle to hear, while providing an organic listening experience- allowing you to receive the rest of the sounds with your hearing that is still intact. If you are ready to discover all the benefits and added features of digital hearing aids, read on!

New and advanced hearing aid technology

Technology continues to advance at a fast pace and digital hearing aids are at forefront of micro processing, with more portability and speed. There are hearing aids so tiny that they fit inside your ear canal so nearly no one will be able to notice them. And along with diverse sizing and usability for a diverse customer base with varying needs around accessibility and style, there are a host of new features which you can now opt in for to enhance the ease of your lifestyle. What features work best for you depends on what you want out of your hearing experience.

Bluetooth Connectivity

Bluetooth compatibility utilizes radio waves at a short distance to connect wirelessly to your hearing aids. This means you can connect to your smartphone to talk on the phone, listen to media, hear GPS directions, and play games – all wirelessly. You can often program your hearing aids to automatically connect to all your favorite devices such as your car stereo, TV and computer. This allows for clear sound to wirelessly be delivered to your hearing aids, with the amplification that you need for your specific hearing loss. In addition, with Bluetooth connectivity you can connect to apps on your phone which allow you to adjust and change settings. 

Artificial intelligence

The future we’ve dreamed about is here in some sense. While your hearing aids aren’t the sci-fi robots we imagines artificial intelligence would be, they can now learn your listening preferences and automatically adjust to them based on your location. By utilizing GPS technology, your hearing aids equipped with artificial intelligence can remember your preferred listening settings at work, home, in the car and in businesses and automatically switch to that program.

Rechargeable batteries

The days of changing out cumbersome hearing aids batteries may be coming to a close. For older hearing aid users with dexterity issues, changing the batteries was often one of the main hurtles in maintaining their hearing aids. Today, thankfully rechargeable batteries are quickly becoming the standard. Instead of having to remember to pack extra batteries everywhere you went in case they ran out, all you need to do is plug them in at the end of the day. They will be fully recharged and ready for a full day of hearing the rich world around you.

Tinnitus masking features

Tinnitus is that irritating buzzing in the ears which many struggles to escape. 90% of those with chronic tinnitus, also have hearing loss. Tinnitus can keep you up at night and distracted during the day. With tinnitus masking features on hearing aids, you can cover the frustrating buzz of tinnitus so you can focus on your day.

Waterproof design

If you like to be active and outdoors you may want to invest in water restant features. When you get sweaty or caught in a storm, water resistance can go a long way towards making sure moisture doesn’t fry the fragile electronic connections in your hearing aids.

Find Out What Digital Hearing Aids Can Offer You

It’s an exciting world and technology continues to pave the way to provide more access to achieve things we previously never imagined! Contact us to schedule a hearing exam today. We can explore your options and find the best hearing aids for you.