Rechargeable hearing aid technology has been around for many years, but it had some less than desirable aspects. Now, the manufacturers have worked the bugs out and the future looks exciting! Since electronic hearing aids of the 1950’s, with all of the exciting advancements in technology, the one constant has always been the battery. Up until fairly recently, the battery was still using the same 60 year old technology. Now hearing aids can operate for a full 24 hours on a full charge. Some advantages of rechargeable hearing aids are: if a person has limited dexterity or poor vision, they are not require to change a tiny battery that only lasts approximately 12 days. Rechargeability is not limited to only the highest levels of technology, it is available in the full line of Behind the Ear (BTE) products. I fully expect that in roughly 5 years, I will probably not even carry batteries in my office!!! Although you may be thinking that this new technology may come with a hefty price tag, it actually is the same cost for hearing aids that use a traditional battery. However, in the long term life of the hearing instrument, there is actually a cost savings because there is not the added expense of purchasing batteries. Another advantage that may not be overly obvious with rechargeable hearing instruments is moisture resistance. The housing of the instrument is completely sealed, therefore, the hearing aids can repel more moisture than ever before. I tell my patients that they can get caught in the rain, work up a sweat or be outdoors when it is hot and humid and they do not need to worry about their hearing aids! As you can see the instruments of today are meant for an active social lifestyle. Paired with attractive cosmetics and feature packed technologies for clarity and noise reduction, the future of hearing aids is here now.
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