If you’re one of the many people in Portland with hearing loss, you know how difficult talking on the phone can be. But with the amazing technology available today, your hearing aids can actually help rather than hinder your phone calls.
As someone who wears hearing aids in Portland, you can choose between several settings and awesome accessories to answer your calls with confidence. Here’s a look at some of the most innovative and popular technologies for talking on the phone.
Amplifiers and Amplified Phones
Amplified phones produce clear sound at high decibel levels, making them perfect for people in Portland with hearing aids. Amplified phones can be adjusted as needed and typically turn up to around 50 decibels. Many of these phones also come with features like extra loud ringing, text display, closed-captioning and visual flashing ringers. You can also by small, handheld amplifiers, which can attach to cell phones to boost volume. All amplifiers use technology to make quiet sounds louder while amplifying louder sounds to a lesser degree.
Wireless Streaming and Bluetooth®
Many of today’s hearing aids and accessories use wireless technology to stream sound directly into your hearing aids. You can program your hearing aid to automatically sync to your home or cell phone, so that when you answer it, the sound will transmit directly into your hearing aid’s speaker. This technology is also useful for hands-free driving and can work with your in-car audio system. It works to reduce background noise and deliver clear, amplified sound over extremely high frequencies to eliminate the risk of interference.
Ear or Neck Loops
Ear and neck loops connect to hearing aids that offer telecoil mode and work with certain models of cell phones. When you shop for a new cell phone, look for a small “T” on the packaging or display; this indicates the phone is telecoil compatible. These loops are worn around your ear or neck and plug directly into your device. Using audio looping technology, the sound input from your cell phone goes straight to the speaker in your hearing aid, all while your phone is stored in your pocket or on a nearby surface.
These are just a few of the many phone technologies available to people in Portland with hearing aids. Talk to a member of our friendly and knowledgeable audiology staff at PDX ENT & Audiology Medical Group to find out more about the technologies available for your hearing aids.
