Advanced Prescription Hearing Aids

You’ll Be Shocked by the Advanced Hearing Aid Technology Available

What’s the first image that pops into your head the moment someone mentions hearing aids?
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If you’re like most, you envision those ugly, bulky, and frustrating devices your parents or grandparents wore.

Say goodbye to the outdated stigmas of hearing aids!

Hearing aid technology has progressed at the same pace as the technology used in your smartphone. Just like with your smartphone, smaller packaging doesn’t mean less power.

Thanks to microdigital and nano-digital technology, today’s hearing aids pack the processing power able to produce more natural sound clarity and control background noise. Most models also include long-lasting rechargeable batteries and allow you to link your hearing aids to other digital devices, like your cell phone, television, and computer.

Common Features of Modern
Prescription Hearing Aids 

More Frequencies

Older analog hearing aids amplified sound in two channels: treble and bass, but today’s digital hearing aids provide a “mixer board” of frequencies, allowing your hearing aids to be programmed to amplify some frequencies while you hear other frequencies naturally

No Whistling or Squealing

With analog hearing aids, whistling or squealing sounds were pretty common and were an embarrassment for hearing aid wearers. Directional microphones and software help detect the tone and wave shape of sounds that cause feedback and eliminates them within fractions of a second.

More Natural Sound

One product of feedback management is the development of hearing devices that do not obstruct the natural passage of sound into your ears. With open-fitting technology, non-amplified sounds enter your ears along with processed sounds in order to produce a more natural and more comfortable user experience.

Directional Microphones

The use of multiple directional microphones helps handle background noise by pinpointing the location of the sounds, conversations around you, and the conversation in front of you, making it possible to reduce the sounds of the environment around you and amplify only the conversation you’re engaged in.

Elimination of Background Noise

Analog hearing aids amplified all sounds, including background noise, making it difficult for hearing aid wearers to distinguish between speech and the noise of air conditioners, noise from a crowded room, traffic, and other noises.

However, today’s hearing aids have the capacity to identify the difference between speech and background noise, assign them to different frequency bands, and amplify only the sounds you want to hear while reducing the volume of those you don’t.

Streaming and Connectivity

Your ability to use your hearing aids more comfortably and effectively is greatly enhanced by the streaming and connectivity capabilities of today’s hearing aids. Using the latest Bluetooth technology, your hearing aids can link directly to your smartphone, digital stereo, television, personal stereos (e.g., iPods and MP3 players), and public address systems that use Auracast technology. These features allow you to enhance the performance of your hearing aids when using external devices.

Preprogrammable Options

You may not need the benefits provided by directional microphones and noise reduction features in a quiet room like you would in a restaurant, at a sporting event or a concert, so your modern hearing aids allow you to create listening profiles that enhance the sound quality for the different listening environments you frequent. Touch technology allows you to discretely toggle through them as you move from one place to another. 

Machine Learning and AI Features

Innovations in machine learning and artificial intelligence have also been utilized in modern-day hearing aid processing capabilities, allowing for automatic adjustment of your sound profile as you move from one location to another. As your hearing aids gather data from your environment, they choose the optimal sound profile, adjust your profile settings, and deliver the sound quality you expect in seconds.

Greater Convenience

Changing hearing aid batteries has been one of the most frustrating aspects of being a hearing aid wearer. Recent advancements in battery life and recharging capabilities have been added to advanced hearing aids, allowing you to recharge your hearing aids while you sleep and then have plenty of energy to power them the following day.

Hearing Aid Styles

Behind-the-Ear (BTE)

BTE hearing aids look similar to older analog devices, but the technology is still digital. Lighter and more streamlined, the highest level of digital processing power inside the behind-the-ear case, which transmits processed sound to the ear using acoustical tubing, is ideal for all levels of hearing loss severity.

Resting comfortably behind the ear, custom-formed earmolds for an improved acoustic seal, as well as open-canal earpieces, which help eliminate the “plugged up” feeling some users experience, are among the features that make BTE hearing aids the most flexible, adaptable, and powerful hearing instruments available.

Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) or Receiver-in-the-Ear (RITE)

A type of BTE device modified for a comfortable, open-fit design, RIC/RITE devices are small, lightweight, and packed with powerful technology to serve those with a mild to severe hearing loss.

RIC devices differ from traditional BTE hearing aids because the instrument’s speaker is located in the earpiece instead of in the main BTE body and uses speaker wires rather than acoustical tubing to transmit processed sound.

In-the-Ear (ITE)

ITE hearing aids put the technology from RIC devices and combine the processor and speakers in a single molded shell that is custom fit to the contours of your outer ear canal.

Full-shell ITE technology produces powerful, clear sound for all degrees of treatable hearing loss and is a good choice for those who wear glasses or use an oxygen cannula. They come with battery-style choices and various color choices to match your taste.

In-the-Canal (ITC)

ITC hearing aids are molded to fit further into the ear canal instead of the outer ear. Although they provide many of the same benefits as ITE devices, they are not ideal for individuals with a severe to profound hearing loss.

Those with a more active lifestyle looking for greater wearing discretion while still having adequate processing power to meet moderate to mildly severe hearing loss are often attracted to this style of hearing aid.

Completely-in-the-Canal (CIC)

The CIC-style device takes in-the-canal hearing devices to another level. These instruments provide an additional level of hearing discretion to more individuals with highly active lifestyles through the use of tiny, clear plastic posts that allow the wearer to insert them deeper inside the ear canal.

The main drawbacks to these hearing aids are that those who lack fine-dexterity may struggle with putting them in and removing them, and these devices are only suited for individuals with a mild to moderate hearing loss.

Invisible-in-the-Canal (IIC)

Those with a mild to moderate hearing loss who are primarily concerned about wearing discretion can enjoy the snug, custom-molded fit of IIC hearing devices. These devices are inserted near the second bend of the ear canal, making them 100% invisible.

Like the larger instruments, IIC devices are digital and fully programmable, while packing clarity and processing power into the tiniest of spaces. IIC hearing instruments serve those with a very active lifestyle who have the manual dexterity to insert and remove them.

Choosing the Right Hearing Aid Requires a Hearing Assessment 

As the outdated stigma of hearing aids continues to fade into the past, individuals who would never consider wearing hearing aids are suddenly attracted to the various options available. While you may be able to address mild hearing loss with OTC options, choosing the right hearing aid requires a proper hearing assessment.

Gain access to the power and ongoing support of advanced prescription hearing aid technology by scheduling a hearing assessment at Cayman Hearing Center. Just submit the adjacent form, and a member of our team will help you with scheduling.

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FAQs

About Advanced Prescription Hearing Aids

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How do I know if I need hearing aids?

You may have noticed various symptoms, or your family and friends have noticed and are encouraging you to get your hearing checked. However, the only way to really know if you are experiencing a hearing loss is through a comprehensive hearing assessment performed by a professional audiologist.

Will hearing aids cure my hearing challenges?
No. They are called “aids” because they help you hear better using sound processing and amplification. To date, no technology has been developed to restore the natural functioning of your ears. However, among the benefits of hearing aids are slowing the progression of hearing deterioration, reversing or preventing cognitive decline, and correcting balance disorders and vertigo.
How long will my hearing aids last?
The common life cycle of hearing aids is between five and six years, depending on how well you take care of them. Most audiologists recommend upgrading every five years to stay up to date with the latest innovations in a rapidly changing industry.
Do hearing aids use special batteries?
Yes. Hearing aids with traditional batteries that you change use zinc-air batteries designed specifically for hearing aids. Each device requires a different size, but most are easy to find in pharmacies and grocery stores.
How long will it take me to get used to my hearing aids?

The adjustment period is unique from one individual to the next. Sounds that your brain hasn’t heard for a while are a shock to your brain, which has to acclimate to them. Consequently, you might need to teach your brain to relearn how to process the new sound signals.

The 60-day trial period provided by most hearing aid manufacturers gives you plenty of time to adjust to and evaluate the benefits of your hearing aids. Your audiologist can help speed up the process with counseling, coping strategies, and ongoing support to make the transition easier.

Why do prescription hearing aids require such a significant investment?

There are several factors involved in the cost of hearing aids, including the low volume of sales in contrast to the high cost of production, which includes research and development for new hearing aid technology.

However, your investment includes more than the cost of the device you’re wearing, as it also comes with industry standard one-year to two-year warranties for replacement and repairs, as well as ongoing support from a hearing care professional.

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