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Hearing Aids Consumer FAQ #2
How long will my hearing aids last?
| Many factors determine the life
expectancy of hearing aids. This
includes the care taken by you, periodic cleaning by your dispenser,
your work environment, your body chemistry (salts and acids in your
perspiration), and the part of the country you live in (not as long in
high humidity areas). Mechanically, a good hearing aid can last, with proper care, for many years. |
However,
changing hearing needs on your part and continued improvements
in electronics typically shorten the period to about 3-5 years. Even
when they last longer, and many do, improvements in the performance of
hearing aids and your desire to have something better, may be the
deciding factor.When hearing aids begin to be costly in the way of repairs, this provides a good indication that new ones may be needed.
Because hearing aids make sound louder, what happens when a really loud sound occurs and I'm wearing my hearing aids?
Many unanticipated loud sounds occur in our environment, and you will not always have a chance to remove the hearing aids or turn the volume controls down. Do not be unduly alarmed about this happening because all hearing aids have an output level beyond which sounds cannot be made louder. However, this may have to be adjusted by the hearing aid dispenser.Someone I know says that hearing aids won't help me.
You may have come across people who have hearing aids and are not happy with them. They are often quite vocal concerning their dissatisfaction and, as a result, the idea of using hearing aids may not appeal to you. But deciding not to try hearing aids because of the experiences of other people is much like deciding not to wear glasses because your neighbour doesn't like them: It's a mistake!When I'm outdoors, or when driving my car with the windows open, wind noise bothers me.
You will gradually learn to protect the microphone from the direct blast of the wind, and for some hearing aids, it will always be troublesome. A wind screen may help. Ask your dispenser if he has one for your particular type of hearing aid.Does it cost a lot for batteries for a hearing aid?
Battery costs depend in part on the type of aid and in part on the way the aid is used. The cost of a single hearing aid battery is not large; but if you use your aid constantly during waking hours - and you probably should - the cost of replacement batteries can become a substantial item in the course of a year. Ask your dispenser to give you an estimate of battery cost and expected battery life, under normal use, for your hearing aids.Top
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