Fall is a beautiful time of year. It’s a time to spend more time at home, particularly when the weather turns cold and miserable. However, it’s also the perfect time to consider an upgrade to your hearing aids. Chances are, there are a number of social events coming up from Thanksgiving to Christmas, which will involve many conversions in noisy environments. Do your current hearing aids meet the demands when it comes to being able to hear conversations clearly?

Perhaps your current hearing aids have reached their shelf-life and need replacing. In this guide, you’ll learn the common signs that indicate your hearing aids need updating and why fall is the perfect time to upgrade them.

How Long Do Hearing Aids Last?

The shelf-life of a hearing aid is often dependent on how well you look after the devices. Typically, you’ll be able to get around five to seven years on average depending on the type of device, as well as general maintenance.

However, if you’re looking after them with all of the care of attention, there’s nothing to say that they won’t last longer. However, by seven years, you might notice a decline in the hearing aid performance. Not to mention that the rapidness of technology and how it’s advancing is likely to mean your seven-year-old hearing aids are ancient in comparison to new models!

Sound Quality Has Deteriorated

If your hearing aids need replacing, you’ll likely notice a big difference when you get fitted for new ones – particularly when it comes to sound quality. Typically, the quality of the sound you hear through these devices will be the first to decline. That’s probably the most important element of the device, hence why it’s worthwhile to get them upgraded sooner rather than later.

Feedback or Whistling Sounds

If your hearing aids are producing a lot of feedback or whistling sounds, that may mean that the devices themselves are on the way out. Just like any electronic devices, they won’t last forever. That’s why it’s useful to spot the signs that indicate your hearing aids need upgrading.

The Hearing Aids Need Repairing Frequently

Over time, your hearing aids might need to be repaired. This is typical for any hearing aids, especially if they are older. However, if you find yourself getting them repaired more frequently, it might be time to save yourself some time and upgrade your devices. Once a year might not be too bad but if you’re going in any more frequently to get repairs, then chances are, you’ll soon be needing new hearing aids. Talk to your audiologist if you are thinking about upgrading your hearing aids.

Increased Battery Usage

With older hearing aid, just like older electronic items in general, tend to utilize more of their battery quicker than usual. If you’ve noticed that you’re having to recharge and replace your batteries more frequently, that may mean you need to upgrade your hearing aids.

Your Hearing Loss May Have Changed

While hearing aids are great for helping with hearing loss, they may not always prevent the decline of your hearing in general. For some, it might be age-related hearing loss that gets more profound. It does mean though, that you might want to consider getting new hearing aids that benefit your hearing health now rather than what it was some five or seven years ago. Seeing your audiologist regularly will keep you up to date on the progression of your hearing.

Why Fall is the Perfect Time to Upgrade?

Why is fall the perfect time to upgrade your hearing devices? Chances are your hearing aids are going to be more vulnerable to further damage due to the cold and changes in the atmosphere. Fall is often a more moisture-heavy time, which means your older hearing aids might not be cut out to survive past this season. Not only that but the increase in social gatherings might be something worth factoring in when it comes to upgrading your devices.

Speak to an Audiologist to Upgrade Your Hearing Aids

If you’re looking to upgrade your hearing aids this fall, then get in touch with us here at Audiologists Hearing Center. We’ve helped many of our patients to improve their hearing and ear health, including upgrading their hearing aids. Speak to one of our audiologists for more advice on how we can help you. Call us today at (952) 206-4101. Now might be the right time to upgrade your hearing aids.