Hearing Aid Accessories: What You Need to Know

Buying accessories for your hearing aids might seem straightforward, but the range of accessories available can get overwhelming very fast. From clip-on jewelry to microphones plus alarms, as well as batteries and cases, you’ve got a lot of items to choose from.

But what ones do you actually need? It’s all about the way you use your hearing aids. If you need to, talk to your audiologist for some advice, but anyone would recommend purchasing accessories to help you live as happily as possible with your hearing aids. But to give you a quick insight into what you need to think about, here are a few questions to ask before you buy.

Buy with Your Day-to-Day Life in Mind

A hearing aid accessory is something you can add to your hearing aid to make it more useful in your day-to-day life. And because of that, you should buy with your daily routine, schedule and typical lifestyle in mind. Some accessories are standard; the batteries you buy, or the charger you plug your aids into or the case you keep your aids in when they’re not in use. Some accessories are made to enhance your ability to use the aids in a personalized way – these would include dryers or listening assistants, to ensure you can use your hearing aids in any of the situations you regularly get into.

So, what kind of lifestyle do you live? Are you an active person who likes to be on the move? Do you love consuming media like podcasts, music and you use a tablet regularly? Are you a fan of stylish clothing and expressing yourself through your outfits and jewelry? These are the kinds of questions that’ll help you decide what accessories you’ll want to buy.

The Most Commonly Bought Accessories

As we mentioned above, some hearing aid accessories are used more than others. A charger is the most commonly bought item, as it ensures you can save on buying battery replacements every few months. Then during the night, you can take your hearing aids out to plug them into your charger to give them a full eight-hour boost.

People also love to buy:

• Cleaning brushes: These are important for keeping debris like wax out of your hearing aid, which can easily build up if you don’t have a brush available. Taking care of your hearing aids takes a bit of manual work, which is why small cleaning heads have been designed to allow for careful maneuvering when working with an earbud.
• Cords: If you’re prone to losing your hearing aids, attaching them to a cord will keep them round your neck at all times.
• Connective apps: You can download a range of these straight from the app store or Google Play, which’ll help you connect wirelessly to various phones, tablets and websites.

No matter what kind of hearing aids you use, like in the canal (ITC) or behind the ear (BTE), you can find a variety of these accessories suitable for each.

What’s Your Budget?

The cost of certain accessories is going to vary depending on the type and brand you’d like to get. This means your budget is the next thing to work out. Don’t worry – you can find each of the accessories listed above at a variety, so you’ll always be able to grab any of the products no matter what. Talk with your audiologist about your budget and they will help you find the suitable option for you.

Don’t Forget About Your Own Style

Hearing aid jewelry is a lot of fun to wear. Hearing loss can be experienced at any age, and a lot of people like to wear cuffs and clip-ons to align their hearing aids with the rest of their style. You can apply any kind of jewelry to a hearing aid, as these pieces are designed with special clips that fit most modern hearing aid styles. Whether you’re a huge fan of the boho chic look or you’d like to find something your child can wear when using their hearing aids at school, you’ll be able to pick up some appropriate jewelry.

Give Us a Call

Here at Audiology and Hearing Aid Services, we’re always on call to help individuals with questions and concerns about hearing aids. By just calling us at 912-351-3038 whenever you need to, you can be put in touch with an experienced audiologist. No one should have to navigate the world of hearing aid accessories alone, so whatever it is you need to know about buying, we’ve got the answers you’re looking for.