Top 5 Hearing Aid Features

As you can imagine, hearing aids come in various styles, shapes, and sizes. But, did you know they also offer many different features? These days, you can purchase hearing aids that are tailored exclusively to your needs.

If you experience hearing loss and plan to visit an audiologist and get a pair of hearing aids, you might be wondering which hearing aid features will best meet your requirements. This handy guide will explain the most common features selected by hearing aid users.

Top Hearing Aid Features

You might not know it, but hearing aid technology has come on leaps and bounds in the past few years. Today’s hearing aids are fully customizable, with specifications unique to the individual wishing to wear them.

These days, it’s now possible to wirelessly transmit music, TV audio, and more to certain heading aids. Battery charging technology has also advanced, making it possible to recharge batteries instead of continually buying new ones.

Here’s an overview of the best hearing aid features:

Noise Reduction

While it’s true that all hearing aids offer some degree of noise reduction, some models provide advanced noise reduction. For example, it’s possible to get hearing aids that diminish wind noise and occlusion from eating or chewing.

The way that hearing aids work is by amplifying sound, so it’s crucial that unwanted noise doesn’t get amplified.

Directional Microphones

Directional microphones offer improved pick-up of sounds coming from the front of hearing aid users while reducing noise from the sides or rear of the individual. They are ideal for allowing people to focus on front-facing sound while diminishing background noise.

Rechargeable Batteries

Many of today’s hearing aids use single-cell “button-style” batteries. However, it’s possible to use rechargeable batteries that work with a manufacturer-supplied charging dock. Rechargeable batteries are more convenient for hearing aid users than disposable ones.

Bluetooth Connectivity

Arguably one of the most significant innovations in hearing aid technology is wireless Bluetooth connectivity. Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids allow users to stream music and audio content from compatible devices like smartphones, tablets, TVs, and hi-fi systems.

Smartphone Controls

Some hearing aids styles, like ITC (in-the-canal) hearing aids, only have limited controls on the outer shells due to the small size. Many of today’s hearing aids allow for external adjustments via smartphone apps.

Smartphone controls are also ideal for people that experience dexterity issues, for example, or have visual impairments.

Variable Programming

On some hearing aids, it’s possible to take control adjustment a step further by creating variable programming profiles. In a nutshell, hearing aid users can save several pre-programmed profiles to use in various settings like home, work, or other environments.

Synchronization

If an individual requires two hearing aids, it can make sense to opt for a model that supports sound synchronization. Such a feature allows for easier control and adjustments, as you only need to make changes once, and those changes apply to both hearing aids.

Telecoils

Last but not least, telecoils or “t-coils” improve sound clarity by allowing sound sources to get connected directly to hearing aids. Electromagnetic audio induction loops get detected by hearing airs with telecoils and help remove background noise in settings like railway stations.