These days, the mobile phone network is much more reliable (and there’s a lot less static involved). But in some cases, it will still be challenging to hear what the person on the other end is saying. And for individuals who have hearing loss, it can be particularly challenging.
There must be an easy solution for that, right? Can’t you make use of some hearing aids to help you understand phone conversations better? Actually, it doesn’t work exactly that way. It turns out that, while hearing aids can make in person conversations a lot easier to handle, there are some challenges related to phone-based conversations. But there are certainly a few things you can do to make your phone calls more successful.
Why hearing aids and phone calls don’t always get along
Hearing loss normally progresses slowly. It’s not like somebody just turns down the overall volume on your ears. It has a tendency to go a little at a time. This can make it hard to even notice when you have hearing loss, particularly because your brain tries very hard to fill in the gaps with context clues and other visual information.
When you talk on the phone, you no longer have these visual clues. Your Brain doesn’t have the info it requires to fill in the blanks. You only hear parts and pieces of the other individual’s voice which sounds muffled and distorted.
How hearing aids can be helpful
This can be helped by using hearing aids. Lots of those missing pieces can be filled in by using hearing aids. But there are a few distinctive accessibility and communication difficulties that arise from wearing hearing aids while talking on the phone.
Feedback can occur when your hearing aids come close to a phone, for example. This can make things difficult to hear and uncomfortable.
Tips to augment the phone call experience
So, what can you do to control the difficulties of using a phone with hearing aids? Well, there are a few tips that most hearing specialists will recommend:
- Put your phone in speaker mode as frequently as possible: Most feedback can be averted this way. Your phone calls might not be particularly private, but even though there still may be a little distortion, you should be able to better make out the voice on the other end. Knowing how to hold the phone better with hearing aids (that is, away from your ears) is crucial, and speakerphone is how you achieve this!
- Try to take your phone calls in a quiet location. It will be much easier to hear the voice on the other end if there’s less noise. If you limit background noise during phone calls your hearing aids will perform so much better.
- Download a video call app: You may have an easier time distinguishing phone conversations on a video call. The sound won’t be louder or clearer, but at least you will have that visual information back. And this can help you add context to what’s being said.
- Utilize other assistive hearing devices: Devices, including numerous text-to-type services, are available to help you hear better when you’re having phone conversations.
- Connect your phone to your hearing aid via Bluetooth. Yes, modern hearing aids can stream to your cellphone via Bluetooth! This means you’ll be able to stream phone calls directly to your hearing aids (if your hearing aids are Bluetooth enabled). If you’re having difficulty using your phone with your hearing aid, a good place to start reducing feedback would be switching to Bluetooth.
- Be truthful with the person you’re speaking with on the phone: It’s all right to admit if you’re having trouble! Many people will be just fine switching the discussion to text message or email or video calls (or just being a little extra patient).
Finding the right set of solutions will depend on what you use the phone for, how often you’re on the phone, and what your overall communication needs are like. Your ability to once again enjoy phone conversations will be made possible with the right approach.
Contact us for some help and advice on how to best utilize your phone and hearing aids together.