One of the frequently asked questions I get almost daily is, “How long do these things last?” Hearing aids are a sizable financial investment, and it’s normal to want to know about how long you should expect with a pair before planning to buy another.
You should expect your hearing aids to last about five years…some will last longer, some might last a little less. Hearing aid technology changes very rapidly, which is similar to computer technology. Many times, the new developments in technology will benefit you as the wearer greatly. There are constantly updates to the processing based on new developments in research and design.
If your hearing loss is steady/stable and if you take good care of your hearing aids, they may last up to twice as long as five years…and when I say “taking good care of”, I mean you clean the hearing aids daily, keep them free of debris and moisture, take them to be serviced 3-4 times a year at your hearing healthcare professional’s office, and just generally use caution and good judgment when wearing them and caring for them.
Why do hearing aids wear out within five years? Well, we have taken a teeny tiny super computer and placed it in your ear. In your ear, it is subjected to sweat, moisture, wax, debris, hairspray, perfume, and other chemical products that can break down the casing and/or shell of the hearing aid. The receiver is inside the hearing aid or the ear canal, and it is also constantly bombarded by the same things. Hearing aids need constant care and cleaning to keep working well. One of the best things I can recommend to help prolong the life of your hearing aids and to reduce the number of repairs you will have is to purchase a Dry and Store box for your hearing aids. This will help to clean and sanitize the instruments and help your aids function as well as if you were seeing your hearing healthcare professional each day!
So, plan for your instruments to last about 5 years, on average…knowing it could be a little bit longer or a little bit shorter, but that 5 years will be about time to think about looking for your next set of hearing aids.
Until next time,
Dr. Kristin