Hearing loss can affect a variety of aspects of your life. While conversations face-to-face and in noisy places can become an issue, hearing loss can also affect phone conversations. While you would think that by holding the phone speaker to your ear that it would help you to hear what the other person is saying, often, you will still find that you are unable to hear clearly. 

With phones playing such an essential part in our lives these days, the ability to hear what people are saying and to listen to content through your smartphone devices is very important. Not only will you want to get the best use out of the technology that you own, but you will also want to ensure that you remain fully connected with friends and loved ones. 

With developments in technology, it is now possible to connect your hearing aid and phone up together in order to remedy any hearing loss that you may have. This will serve to greatly enhance the experience of using the technology that you own in the greatest possible way. 

Bluetooth connectivity

Many smartphones on the market nowadays come equipped with Bluetooth. The wireless connectivity method can create a strong link between the phone and any other compatible device in order to transfer data. Very often, this technology is used for streaming music to devices or transferring files quickly from one device to another. One of the most common uses for the connectivity method is for wireless transmission to a headset, often allowing the user handsfree use of their cellphone. 

Using Bluetooth, you can seamlessly stream your in-call audio straight to your hearing aid. This will give you a clear and crisp conversation quality that will prevent you from missing a word. Having Bluetooth connectivity between your hearing aid and your smartphone may also provide you access to the configuration settings of your hearing aid. Having a way of altering the controls in this way may well make it much easier for you than through the conventional method. 

Connecting to other devices

Nowadays, with so much technology at our fingertips, we are enjoying what has become known as the internet of things. With devices managing every aspect of our lives, it has long made sense that they communicate with each other in order to make our lives so much easier. 

This can also be applied to your hearing aid. If you have an internet compatible hearing aid, it can be programmed to connect to a multitude of different items. Assuming you have the connecting technology, your hearing aid could link to your oven so that you can hear the alarm and don’t overdo your food. You can connect your hearing aid straight to your doorbell so that you don’t miss a visitor. And, of course you can also connect your hearing aid to security alarms and fire alarms so that you can be assured that you will hear them clearly. 

Choosing a compatible smartphone

When you are looking for a new phone that will be fully compatible with your hearing aid, be sure that you look for the M-and T-ratings. The M rating relates to how well your phone will work with your hearing aid in the normal setting. The T-rating reflects how well they will work when on the loop setting. 

These scales measure compatibility running from one to four. Four is the highest score meaning that the sound quality and clarity will be of the best standard. An M-rating of three is the most common, and as such, many of the best-selling smartphones on the market will have a level-three rating. 

Reducing interference

If you do not have your hearing aid connected to your cellphone via Bluetooth, one concern that users may face is interference. It can be quite irritating to be on a call where you are unable to hear because of interference between the phone and the hearing aid. In order to avoid this, it is sometimes necessary to hold the phone one to two inches away from the hearing aid. 

With cellphones being such a vital part of our daily lives, it is essential to consider how your hearing loss will be affected in relation to this technology. For help and advice on how you can continue to enjoy the connectedness that cellphone use can bring with the added clarity through your hearing aid, speak with one of the audiologists at Desert Hearing Care today. Call our office at 480-985-254.