When you first get your hearing loss diagnosis, we’ll tell you whether it’s mild, moderate, severe or profound. That category will determine which type of hearing aid best suits your needs. But hearing loss is rarely static; it will progress over time, especially if it arises from aging. Luckily, progressive hearing loss doesn’t necessarily mean that you need new hearing aids. In many cases, we can simply adjust the programming to accommodate your changing needs.
Adjusting Your Hearing Aids
There are two ways you can adjust the programming on your hearing aids:
- On the app. New hearing aids have a companion app where you can adjust the listening settings. You can change the settings when you shift environments, start tinnitus masking if your devices offer it or permanently raise the volume when it always feels too low.
- Professionally. During a service and repair appointment, we can conduct another hearing test and professionally adjust the settings if your hearing needs have changed. We can even clean your devices and remove built-up moisture to protect their lifespan!
When You Require New Hearing Aids
Whether you need to upgrade your hearing aids will depend on a number of factors:
- The type of hearing aids. Smaller devices, like in-the-ear (ITE), in-the-canal (ITC) or completely-in-the-canal (CIC) options, offer amplification appropriate for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. If you chose one of those models initially, but your hearing loss now requires more amplification than they can provide, we may suggest a more powerful behind-the-ear (BTE) or receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) device.
- If your devices are damaged. If we find signs of damage that the manufacturer or we can’t fix, it’s probably time for a new pair.
- The age of your devices. We may recommend upgrading your hearing aids if your current devices are outdated and you’re interested in newer features like AI sound processing, tinnitus masking or Bluetooth®.
If your hearing aids aren’t working as well as they used to, call our specialists at Sound Advice Audiology for a repair and service appointment. We’ll help you determine the best path forward for clearer sound.