It’s difficult to be without your hearing aid once you get used to wearing one. Let’s face it, if you want to stay connected to the world, your hearing aids are crucial. But just like any technology you use on a daily basis, it will periodically need to be replaced or upgraded.
The Typical Hearing Aid Lifespan
So the normal hearing aid will last how long?The average lifespan of a typical hearing aid will be between 3 and 5 years. But that’s not a strict rule, and you need to have your hearing tested regularly to make certain your hearing aid is still the best option for you. Assuming your hearing doesn’t change, some models age more rapidly than others and technology is continuously changing.
Factors That May Affect Your Hearing Aid Longevity
Because that’s only the average, right? Which means that there are plenty of people who may see their hearing aids last much longer. Here are a number of factors that will determine how long your hearing aids will last:
- How often you wear your hearing aids: So if you wear your hearing aid more frequently, you will need a new one sooner. But modern hearing aids are made to be used for long durations so that’s not always true. Perhaps a better way to say it is that the more often you cycle power settings (turn the device on and off), the sooner you could need to get a new hearing aid.
- Your Hearing Changes: If you’re an adult and you have a hearing aid, you’ve probably gone with one of those little, easy to hide devices. Those devices tend to be very precisely calibrated and they have exactly the amount of power you need. You may need to switch to a more powerful hearing aid if your hearing gets worse.
- Build quality: It’s expensive to buy hearing aids. But you normally get what you pay for, like with so many things. The better the build quality, the longer your hearing aid should last.
- Maintenance and regular care: In a variety of ways, a hearing aid is like most other pieces of technology: it will last longer if you take better care of it. As per the manufacturer’s guidelines, you should always do regular maintenance and also clean your hearing aids.
- The Hearing Aid’s Complexity: A lot more can go wrong with your hearing aid if it’s more complex because there are more variables to contend with. However, you might need that additional sophistication, and often, it ends up being worth it. But additional complex technology does present a breakability factor. Advanced hearing aids have gotten quite clever about presenting more functionality via software rather than hardware, which is helpful.
- Functionality: Hearing aids have been keeping up with constantly changing technology. If you want your hearing aids to have the clearest sound, you may want to upgrade. This will also allow you to sync your device to your television, smartphone and other devices.
Making Your Hearing Aids Last Longer
We have to acknowledge that hearing aids are pretty personal things. In many instances, they are programmed exclusively for your ears and might have custom molds. They are also a significant investment. So getting the most bang for your buck getting your hearing aid to last as long as possible is a prevailing goal.
And it’s one you can accomplish. Really, the best thing you can do to make sure your hearing aids last as long as possible is to take care of them. Getting them wet or dropping them are things you should never do if possible. And all the required maintenance and cleaning are things you should never ignore.
You’ll usually be able to get a good five years out of a hearing aid. Whether you can get more than that is, often, up to chance. But often times the ball’s in your court. Ultimately, you will likely want the new features provided by modern hearing aids. So, in order to determine what hearing aid is best for you, schedule a hearing test today.