Today’s hearing aids are almost completely unrecognisable compared to the large, boxy models of years gone by. Instead of the infamous “hearing trumpets” of yore and the clunky, iconic hearing aids of the ‘80s, modern day digital hearing aids are almost undetectable by anyone who doesn’t know you’re wearing it.
This can only be a good thing. Hearing loss is only natural, and we’ll all experience it to some extent at some point of our lives. Like we said, there is no need to feel self-conscious about wearing one, but the fact that they are now so small that they can barely be seen can only be viewed as a plus for a lot of people, and not just for the convenience factor.
Modern Hearing Aid Technology
Even the most powerful of today’s digital hearing aids can be found in virtually invisible forms.
The technology powering the little gadgets has come on a long way in the last ten or twenty years. Long gone are the large, C-shaped gizmos which wrapped around the ear, bundled with a bulky receiver box – today’s are so small that they can fit right in the ear (often moulded to a person’s personal ear canal), and can come in flesh tones, a feature which only adds to their inconspicuousness.
Many people who are not up to date with the recent advancements can be surprised at just how compact and easy to use they are, and what they look like. The fact that they’re not glaringly obvious can really add to a person’s self-confidence.
Why You Should Get Your Hearing Tested
There are numerous reasons to get your hearing tested, and we would recommend getting it done regularly. You can get your hearing checked for free at a number of places on your local high street, so pop in about as often as you’d go to the dentist.
Your hearing can deteriorate at any time, and for all manner of reasons, from taking ototoxic medications (such as some used in the treatment for cancer) to exposure to loud noises, either at work or when listening to music. For these reasons, it’s important to regularly get to grips with the state of your hearing.
A hearing aid – if you find out that you need one – can make a tremendous difference to your life. From hearing the birdsong in the morning to being able to follow a conversation with more than one other person, it opens up a number of avenues to you which were perhaps previously unavailable.
In fact, in some ways it might even be able to improve upon the original – using Bluetooth technology, you can pair your hearing aid with devices like hi-fis, smartphones and TVs, meaning that you will directly receive the sound. This means that you’ll be able to have the volume exactly how you want it, and when it comes to using the phone you won’t even have to hold it up to your ear!
