Hearing Aid Accessories

Hearing aids aren’t just available in a wide range of sizes and styles; they can also accommodate a variety of accessories. Deciding which, if any, will benefit you can be tricky. You may want to speak with your audiologist to learn more about any particular product.

Hearing Aid Accessories

Some of the more popular hearing aid accessories include:

• Wireless accessories. Utilizing Bluetooth® technology, wireless accessories enable you to hear better in situations where there is a lot of background noise or distance between you and the speaker. These include wireless microphones, remotes and television headsets.
• Transmitters and receivers. These are helpful in educational situations (a teacher’s words are transmitted directly into the student’s ears) and for children. Transmitters and receivers work together to overcome background noise, distance and reverberation, and contribute to a better learning experience.   

Alerting Devices

Alerting devices hook up to telephones, alarm clocks, doorbells and other electronic devices. They alert you through a loud sound or flashing light, making you aware of an incoming phone call, a visitor at the door, etc.

Batteries

Most hearing aids use disposable zinc-air batteries that are color- and number-coded for easy replacement. The type of battery needed depends on the style and size of your hearing aids and includes: 5 (red), 10 (yellow), 13 (orange), 312 (brown) and 675 (blue). On average, batteries last five to seven days depending on the size and style of your hearing aids, your degree of hearing loss, the amount of time your hearing aids are used and your listening environment.

Most drugstores carry replacement batteries; they can also be purchased from your audiologist at DeFatta Hearing Aid Experts or ordered online.

Rechargeable Batteries

Rechargeable hearing aids are one of the top most requested features that hearing aid uses are asking for. They free users from having to deal with the tiresome task of changing the batteries, performing daily battery tests and always carrying around extra batteries. Rechargeable batteries are also environmentally friendly as they save users from throwing away nearly 100 hearing aid batteries per year.

The benefits of rechargeable batteries plentiful:

• Your charger can be your devices’ overnight home so you don’t have to worry about losing them.
• You don’t need to worry about having extra batteries on hand.
• You will save time and money by not having to purchase disposable batteries.

Many rechargeable batteries can provide up to 24 hours of hearing from a single charge. The hearing aid may also include a fast-charging option, which gives uses a few hours of immediate use.

Assistive Listening Devices

Assistive listening devices (ALDs) are portable systems that help individuals with hearing loss communicate more effectively. Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sounds, ALDs work by separating speech from background noise. This allows the person with the hearing impairment to hear more clearly.

Some ALDs are used in conjunction with hearing aids, while others work as standalone devices. ALDs are useful in a number of situations, primarily those involving distance, poor acoustics and noisy backgrounds.

There are several different types of ALDs available, for both large facilities and personal use. Some focus on amplifying speech, while others utilize computer programs to convert text to speech. Some of the different types include:

Personal Amplifiers

Personal amplifiers are essentially small FM systems used in smaller, more intimate settings where radio signals are less effective; they are often used when watching television, traveling by car or spending time outdoors.

The microphone is built directly into the unit, and is often directional, allowing you to aim it in the direction of the sound source in order to pick up the signal most effectively.

Hearing Loops

Hearing loop, or induction loop, systems utilize electromagnetic energy to transmit sound directly to your hearing aid or cochlear implant. They consist of a sound source (public address systems are popular), an amplifier, a loop of wire and a receiver or telecoil (t-coil), a tiny wireless receiver built into many devices.

When you are in close proximity to the loop, you will receive clear sound free of background noise. Hearing loops can be connected to all types of audio sources, and are often set up in public facilities such as airports, churches and lecture halls.

Call DeFatta Hearing Aid Experts at (715) 930-1940 for more information or to schedule an appointment.