Today’s hearing aids offer incredible features such as Bluetooth connectivity, rechargeability, telecoils and more. Many of today’s devices also have automatic programming capabilities, meaning your hearing aid can adjust the settings on its own based on your environment. Below we review how these automatic programs work, what types of programs are available and what kinds of adjustments you can make manually.
How Do Automatic Programs Work?
After your hearing test, you audiologist can import the results into your hearing aid. This way, the hearing aid knows what frequencies you have trouble with and how loud those frequencies have to be in order for you to hear them comfortably.
However, the real world is not like a sound booth in an audiologist’s office. Your hearing needs will change based on whether you’re enjoying a night at home with your family, a dinner party with friends at Charleston Harbor Fish House.
In settings with more background noise, you’ll need to utilize specific settings like background noise suppression. A program can be created to do just that.
What Hearing Aid Programs Are Available?
Most hearing aids come with three to five default programs, such as those that amplify speech in quiet environments and those that select and amplify the speaker in front of you in environments with a lot of background noise. Other programs that can be created include:
- Wind noise reduction for outdoor settings.
- Feedback suppression to eliminate the whistling sound in your ears.
- Car program to select the voices of those beside you while reducing ambient car noise.
- Music program to amplify a wider frequency range than a speech program would.
During your hearing aid programming appointment with your audiologist, it’s important to talk about your lifestyle in order for them to create programs that suit your unique needs.
Making Manual Adjustments
In many cases, your hearing aids will know exactly what you need and adjust automatically. However, it may be the case that you need to adjust the settings on your own. For instance, you should be able to manually switch between pre-programmed settings if your hearing aid fails to do so on its own, as well as adjust the volume within each program.
Creating new programs, however, is a job for your audiologist. If you find yourself in new environments where your current programs aren’t cutting it, you can always revisit your audiologist to discuss your changing needs and get new hearing aid programs.
For more information about hearing aid programs or to discuss your lifestyle needs with your audiologist, call The Hearing & Balance Center today.