As a new hearing aid owner, you’re likely to be interested in the different accessories and add-ons that are available. In this article we offer an overview of common hearing aid accessories that you might be considering. No matter which type or brand of hearing aid you have, the following accessories and “add ons,” are nearly universal.
Hearing Aid Batteries
First of all, stock up on batteries. These aren’t exactly an accessory, but take any opportunity you can to buy them in bulk or at a discount since you will need them. If your hearing aid uses disposable batteries, they last an average of 5 to 14 days, depending on how many hours a day you wear the aids.
Hearing Aid Dehumidifier
Next on your list of “must have” accessories should be a hearing aid dehumidifier to protect it from moisture and thus keep it working well. To use it, you remove your at night before you go to sleep and leave them in the dehumidifier overnight, while you’re not wearing them. Two additional investments to make in the care of your valuable hearing aids are cleaning kits (to clean moisture from them every night) and ear wax filters (to keep ear wax away from the units when you’re wearing them); again, the cleaner you keep your aids, the longer they’ll last.
Bluetooth
There are various Bluetooth extensions for specific hearing aids that will extend their capabilities. Modern digital hearing aids can be configured to support the Bluetooth connection standard, and thus stream sound to your aids directly from compatible devices such as audio players, mobile phones, and televisions. The Bluetooth connection allows you to enjoy these devices without having to be very close to them or turn up the volume.
FM System
For those of you with analog hearing aids that don’t support Bluetooth, you can accomplish almost the same thing with an FM system that places a remote microphone and transmitter near the TV or stereo and uses a receiver closer to your hearing aid to pick up and amplify the sound. These low-cost FM systems can be an advantage in noisy environments or those shared with other people; you can hear conversations spoken in a normal tone of voice near you while also hearing music or the TV played from much further away.
Smart selection of accessories goes a long way toward maintaining and enjoying your hearing aids. If you have questions about the hearing aid accessories described in this article or any others you’ve heard about, please don’t hesitate to contact us at (702) 605-9133.