Modern cell phones have become much clearer and more reliable nowadays. But sometimes, it will still be challenging to hear what the person on the other end is saying. And for people who have hearing loss, it can be particularly difficult.
Now, you may be thinking: there’s a simple solution for that, right? Can’t you use some hearing aids to help you hear phone conversations better? Well, that’s not… exactly… how it works. It turns out that, while hearing aids can make face-to-face conversations much easier to handle, there are some challenges associated with phone-based conversations. But there are some tips for phone calls with hearing aids that can help you get a bit more from your next conversation.
Why phone calls and hearing aids calls don’t always get along
Hearing loss usually develops slowly. Your hearing usually doesn’t just go. It tends to go a little at a time. It’s likely that you won’t even notice you have hearing loss and your brain will try to utilize contextual and visual clues to compensate.
So when you get on a phone, all of that contextual info is gone. Your Brain lacks the info it requires to fill in the blanks. There’s only a very muffled voice and you only hear bits and pieces of the spectrum of the other individual’s voice.
Hearing aids can help – here’s how
This can be improved by using hearing aids. They’ll particularly help your ears fill in a lot of those missing pieces. But talking on the phone while wearing hearing aids can introduce some accessibility issues.
For instance, placing your hearing aids close to a phone speaker can cause some harsh speaker-to-speaker interference. This can make things hard to hear and uncomfortable.
Improving your ability to hear phone conversations
So what steps can be taken to help make your hearing aids function better with a phone? Well, there are a few tips that most hearing specialists will recommend:
- Hearing aids aren’t the only assistive hearing device you can get: Devices, including numerous text-to-type services, are available to help you hear better during phone conversations.
- You can use your Bluetooth function on your hearing aid to connect to your phone. Wait, can hearing aids stream to smartphones? Yes, they can! This means you’ll be capable of streaming phone calls right to your hearing aids (if your hearing aids are Bluetooth capable). If you’re having difficulty using your phone with your hearing aid, a good place to begin eliminating feedback would be switching to Bluetooth.
- Try to take your phone calls in a quiet area. It will be much easier to hear the voice on the other end if there’s less background sound. Your hearing aids will be much more effective by lowering background noise.
- Be honest with the individual you’re speaking with on the phone: It’s ok to admit if you’re having difficulties! You might just need to be a little extra patient, or you might want to consider using text, email, or video chat.
- Download a video call app: You might have an easier time distinguishing phone conversations on a video call. It isn’t that the sound quality is somehow better, it’s that your brain has access to all of that amazing visual information again. And again, this type of contextual information will be greatly helpful.
- Consider using speakerphone to conduct the majority of your phone conversations: Most feedback can be averted this way. Your phone conversations might not be very private, but even though there still might be a little distortion, you should be able to better understand the voice on the other end. The best way to keep your phone and your hearing aid away from each other is by switching to speakerphone.
Depending on your general hearing needs, how often you use the phone, and what you use your phone for, the appropriate set of solutions will be accessible. With the right approach, you’ll have the tools you require to begin enjoying those phone conversations again.
Call us for some help and advice on how to best use your phone and hearing aids at the same time.