Answering the question of how long your hearing aid will last is tricky. There is no solid answer for any one person. However, on average, a hearing aid will last in the 3 to 5 year range (closer to 5 in most cases). There are a lot of determining factors that can affect your hearing aid life including:
- Exposure to perspiration and wax. - Hearing aids are small and sophisticated devices. They have amplifiers, microphones, and receivers to name a few of their parts. The ear is a rather hostile place that constantly impacts your hearing aid with moisture and wax. Eventually, this will build up and corrode the delicate instruments in your hearing aid.
- Your environment. - The climate you live in will also impact the lifespan of your hearing aid. Exposure to heat, humidity, rain, and heat can all shorten the use of a hearing aid.
- Hearing aid maintenance - How well you maintain your hearing aid plays a huge role in how long it will last. By properly cleaning and caring for your hearing aid, you can expect to get much more use out of it than you would if you simply neglected to give it proper care.
- Amount of use - The amount of use is also a factor in how long it will last. If you wear your aid 8 hours a day at work it will last much longer than someone who wears it 16 hours a day.
- Changes in technology - Lastly, the truth is that technology changes very quickly. The top of the line aid in today's market will probably be the equivalent to a low-end mode within 5 years.
All of these issues will determine how long your hearing aid will last. However, by properly maintaining your aid by cleaning and caring for it you will certainly see a lot more usage out of it than someone who uses theirs without caring for it.
As always, if you have any questions on this topic or any other, get in touch with us!
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