Should you be curious about what else you’ll need to complement your new hearing aid, here are a few recommendations. Certain accessories work only with a specific hearing aid model type, but these general suggestions are appropriate for nearly every hearing aid owner.
First of all, stock up on batteries. These aren’t exactly an accessory, but take any opportunity you can to buy them in bulk or at a discount since you will need them. Disposable batteries used in hearing aids tend to last, depending on how many hours you wear them, for 5 to 14 days.
A dehumidifier is optional, but a very good idea. The electronics in hearing aids are very susceptible to damage from moisture. You place the aids into the dehumidifier at night, when you’re not wearing them. Two additional investments to make in the care of your valuable hearing aids are cleaning kits (to clean moisture from them every night) and ear wax filters (to keep ear wax away from the units when you’re wearing them); again, the cleaner you keep your aids, the longer they’ll last.
When it comes to options that can increase your use of and enjoyment of your aids, you should look into the Bluetooth compatibility options provided by the manufacturer of your hearing aid. You can stream sound to your digital hearing aids directly from compatible mobile phones, music players and even the TV using the Bluetooth connection standard. With a Bluetooth connection to these devices, you don’t need to turn the volume up at the source to enjoy it.
Another way of doing this if you have an analog hearing aid is to use an FM system, which is basically a remote microphone/transmitter that you can place near the TV or stereo and a remote receiver/amplifier that you place closer to your hearing aid. Such FM systems don’t cost very much, and may be useful if you share spaces with other people, because you don’t have to turn up the volume on stereos or TVs such that everyday conversations become difficult to hear.
Please ask us if you have questions about the hearing aid accessories available for your model of aid. Having the right accessories will help you get greater enjoyment and use out of your hearing aid.