How amazing is healthcare technology these days? From easy-to-use contact lenses to heart monitors that you can wear on your wrist while you exercise, healthcare options are growing in leaps and bounds; and one area, in particular, that is doing exceptionally well is hearing health technology. Hearing aids are not the cumbersome, large contraptions that used to hang over the ear. We’ve also moved on from the hearing horn, thankfully! It’s contemporary technology that has evolved over the years the most, and everything from radios to cameras and phones are powered better than ever before.

One of the best developments that there has been the evolution of the hearing aid battery. Replacing the outdated disposable batteries, the rechargeable battery is coming into play! Disposable batteries are going to landfills up to 120 times per year, and these aren’t great for the environment. The rechargeable battery is now making the disposable battery obsolete! Let’s compare them!

Disposable hearing aid batteries

Disposable hearing aid batteries are the most common power source for hearing aid manufacturers. Audiologists can talk you through how to change, clean and dispose of your batteries safely. The current 312 batteries are the most common disposable option and the zinc-air battery is activated when the tab is removed at the back to activate it. Once it’s oxygenated, the time is ticking for the power to be lost. Even if you’re not using your hearing aid, you are going to be losing power and this can be frustrating when you don’t want to keep replacing your hearing aid batteries!

Length of battery life is the biggest disadvantage of disposable batteries and they only last up to 12 days at a time. If you have to switch out your batteries extremely often, it can become a problem – an expensive one.

With the advancements in rechargeable batteries, you get to use your hearing aids with a full life for 12 hours at a time. They become the practical choice, and they are then the preferred choice for those who want to be a little more environmentally friendly. Rechargeable hearing aids are the preferred option and they can hold their charge all day long once they’ve been charged.

Wearers will see so many benefits of swapping from disposable batteries to the rechargeable options. You will also see an improvement in your quality of life, too. Not only will they offer you 24 hours of use, they’ll be far less frustrating to use. All you have to do is replace the hearing aid onto the charger and it’ll charge that way.

When the disposable options get to the end of their life, you won’t know about it. The battery can die at any moment and that can happen even when you need them the most. Faulty batteries can cause huge concerns for your safety – imagine crossing the road and the battery in your hearing aid dying? Yep – safety issues! Switching over to a rechargeable battery will change the game for you and your hearing, and you will be able to hold your charge for longer while using a lithium-ion option that is available from your audiologist.

Types of rechargeable battery

Did you know that lithium-ion batteries power smartphones? If you know that your smartphone is powered that way, it can give you some confidence that your hearing aid is properly powered, too. They can hold a charge of up to 24 hours, and that can be surprising to most people. Silver-zinc technology is also used in modern rechargeable hearing aid batteries. These were originally created for NASA projects, but they can be used to update and retrofit your current hearing aids. This way, you can use rechargeable batteries without changing the hearing aids that you’re already used to!

The silver zinc can be used to recharge the hearing aid without removing the battery and they usually come with a charging stand that you can hang your hearing aids on overnight while you sleep. These rechargeable options offer you a huge advantage over the disposable battery options. The advantages with rechargeable batteries with your hearing aids are many and your audiologist can talk you through everything that you need to know about them so that you have the best possible hearing care.

If you are looking for more information about hearing technology, speaking to the experts at Sommerville Audiology & Hearing Aid Center on this phone number: 586-298-3788 is your best option. Call us today – we’re here to listen to you!