According to statistics, nearly 33% of adults over the age of 70 suffer from some form of hearing loss. Hearing loss doesn't just make life difficult. It can trigger feelings of isolation, reduce social engagement, and be a contributing cause of depression.
Sadly, only 25% of adults with significant hearing loss use hearing aids.
One of the reasons for this is a lack of understanding of hearing aid technology. The previous generation had to put up with bulky, conspicuous hearing aids. But this isn't the case for seniors nowadays.
You don't need to have a squawking device in your ear that hisses feedback and picks up all the noises you don't want to hear. Modern hearing aids are discreet and can be finely programmed for a seamless sound experience.
Do you want to stay active and connected to the world without having to rely on a cumbersome, irritating hearing aid? Keep reading to find out about some of the most recent hearing aid technology features.
Less Noise, Clearer Sound
Nearly 29 million adults in the US could benefit from hearing aids, but less than 1 in 3 use a hearing aid device. Why?
One of the big reasons is unpleasant hearing aid experiences. Old-generation hearing aids were notorious for amplifying all sounds, indiscriminate of their source.
Amplifying all sounds can create a very uncomfortable hearing experience. Instead of making wanted sounds easier to hear, turning up the volume on every sound equally can make wanted sounds even harder to pick out.
Imagine you're trying to talk to someone in a busy cafe. There's music playing, street sounds, and background chatter. If you turn up all of these sounds together, it would be like talking to someone in a nightclub. Where the music is at top volume, and everyone around you is shouting.
Fortunately, modern hearing aids are not like this. Most modern hearing aids are designed to reduce unwanted noise and clarify wanted sounds, such as speech.
Some of the advances in hearing aid technology that facilitate this include:
- Noise reduction
- Feedback cancellation
- Directional microphones
Have you noticed how much easier it is to hear someone who's talking in front of you rather than from behind? And this isn't just true for people with hearing issues. Even if you don't have hearing problems, it's far easier to hear sounds that are to the side or in front.
This is because we naturally have directional hearing. The shape of the human ear and ear canal is designed to pick up sounds with greater clarity that are either directly in front of us or on either side.
Background Sound Reduction
Because directional sound pickup is so important, most Beltone hearing aids feature directional microphones. This alone can make a big difference in sound quality, especially in noisy situations like restaurant visits.
Another way Beltone hearing aids reduce background noise is through our proprietary directionality technology. This helps users easily locate and focus on sounds in their environments and improves speech clarity.
Betone's hearing aids also incorporate features that tone down unwanted background noises and further enhance speech clarity.
Speech Enhancement
Speaking of speech enhancement, this is an area that has seen a lot of development in recent years. One of the most important functions of hearing aid technology is to help those with hearing problems be able to engage in easy conversation.
Thanks to this, most of the best hearing aids have speech enhancement features.
Beltone hearing aids use a combination of multi-channel compression technology and speech-identifying features. Multi-channel compression technology amplifies soft sounds and compresses loud sounds. This reduces listening effort and helps improve understanding.
Speech identification detects the primary speaker during a conversation and amplifies that person's voice. This makes it easier to follow conversations in busy environments.
Wind Noise Reduction
Have you ever recorded a video outside on a windy day? When you played back the clip, the sound of the wind was probably far louder than you expected. This is because microphones tend to pick up and amplify low noises.
The same thing can happen with old or cheap types of hearing aids.
Having the sound of wind unnaturally amplified in your ears can be very offputting. It's enough to make anyone want to rip out their hearing aids and shove them in a drawer.
Fortunately, new hearing aid technology has a solution for wind noise.
Beltone hearing aids have a specific wind noise reduction feature that softens wind noise while at the same time improving speech clarity. This makes for a much more comfortable experience and reduces distractions while outdoors.
Bye Bye Feedback
If you've ever been to an event where the microphones are too close to the speakers, you've probably heard the familiar screeching sound of mic feedback. Now imagine this coming from a set of speakers in your ears.
Not a pleasant experience at all.
To ensure that users don't have to endure whistling sounds or sharp feedback noises, Beltone hearing aids are built with a feedback-canceling feature.
Perfecting Pitch Levels for High-Frequency Hearing Loss
Do you suffer from high-frequency hearing loss?
Today's hearing aids are capable of addressing hearing issues like this by lowering the pitch of high-frequency sounds, making them easier to hear.
Personalized Sound
Another way that modern hearing aid technology can enhance speech clarity is through personalization. Everyone's ears are shaped slightly differently.
In previous times, hearing aids were one-size-fits-all devices with very basic adjustments. Now, hearing aids like those produced by Beltone allows for personalized settings that suit your specific ear shape.
Tinnitus Management
Tinnitus is one of the most common hearing problems and often goes hand in hand with hearing loss. Statistics show that tinnitus occurs alongside other underlying hearing issues in 90% of cases.
In other words, if you are struggling with hearing loss, there's a good chance you also suffer from tinnitus. Unfortunately, ill-functioning hearing aids that are set improperly or produce feedback or whistling noises can make tinnitus symptoms worse.
However, the best hearing aids won't exacerbate tinnitus symptoms. Beltone hearing aids even have special features that address tinnitus.
Users' ears are protected from sudden loud noises, such as gunshots or fireworks, by automatically detecting them and turning down the volume.
Beltone hearing aids also incorporate a feature that produces customized sound therapy. This can mask tinnitus sounds and offer relief.
Better Spacial Sound Awareness
The ability to identify the sources of sounds within a space is key to clear hearing and speech comprehension. Without it, sounds can blend into a distorted, confusing blanket of noise.
Modern-day hearing aid technology assists users in identifying the source of sounds by creating a 360-degree sound field. This makes it easier for users to comprehend speech and pinpoint sounds in busy environments.
Direct Audio Streaming
Did you know you can use your hearing aids as headphones? One of the benefits of high-quality hearing aids is the ability to turn them into a streaming device.
For instance, Beltone hearing aid technology now supports wireless connection to your phone. You can stream audio directly from your smartphone to your hearing aid, allowing for hands-free listening.
Beltone's direct streaming feature also enables users to stream audio from their TV or any other Bluetooth-enabled device. This allows for a seamless listening experience and eradicates the need for additional accessories and devices.
And for those times when you want to listen to live music or music directly from a speaker, you can also use the music feature to enhance your listening experience. This preset automatically adjusts the sound settings to create a clear, natural sound that magnifies the quality of the music.
AI-Powered Hearing Experiences
Another exciting development in hearing aid technology is the use of AI to provide personalized hearing experiences.
Beltone's latest amplification technology uses machine learning to analyze users' hearing needs and automatically adjust volume levels based on the listening environment.
Easy Control and Adjustment
Gone are the days when you had to fiddle around with tiny volume controls on hearing aids. Now, the best hearing aids all come with easy controls.
If you have a Beltone hearing aid, you can control its settings from an app on your phone.
Do you have dexterity issues or difficulty using a smartphone? No problem. You can also use the Beltone remote control, which is an easy-to-use, discreet, handheld device.
Remote Care Services
Advances in hearing aid technology have also opened the doors for remote care.
Most people don't want to visit their provider every time their hearing aid needs adjustment. If you own a Beltone hearing aid, you can receive remote assistance from just about anywhere.
All you have to do is send a request via the Beltone app, and your healthcare provider can make real-time fine-tuning adjustments to your hearing aids.
Sound Health Tracking
Here at Beltone, we've also been using hearing aid technology to help people look after their hearing health through sound exposure tracking.
This feature tracks your daily noise exposure levels. It gives you data on how your activities and environment is affecting your hearing health.
Enjoy the Best in Hearing Aid Technology
As you can see, hearing aid technology has come a long way from the days of clunky hearing devices. Instead of amplifying everything, creating feedback noises, and making a gentle breeze sound like a gale-force hurricane—modern hearing aids can help you tune out unwanted sounds and hear speech clearly.
Are you looking for a hearing aid that features the latest technology? One that's highly discreet but delivers an incredible experience?
Beltone has been in the business of creating hearing aids for over 75 years. We are relentlessly pushing the boundaries of hearing aid technology to create solutions that keep you connected to the world around you.
Browse the range of Beltone hearing aids here.