Nowadays, the mobile phone network is a lot more reliable (and there’s a lot less static involved). But in some cases, it will still be difficult to hear what the individual on the other end is saying. In fact, there’s one population for whom using a phone isn’t always a reliable experience: those who have hearing loss.
Now, you may be thinking: there’s an easy remedy for that, right? Can’t you use some hearing aids to help you understand phone conversations better? Well, that’s not… exactly… how it works. Even though hearing aids can help with conversations, with phone conversations it can be a bit more difficult. But there are certainly a few things you can do to make your phone conversations more successful.
Phone calls and hearing aids don’t always work well together – here’s why
Hearing loss usually progresses slowly. It’s not like somebody just turns down the overall volume on your ears. You tend to lose bits and pieces at a time. It’s likely that you won’t even detect you have hearing loss and your brain will attempt to use contextual and visual clues to compensate.
When you have phone conversations, you no longer have these visual hints. Your Brain lacks the info it needs to fill in the blanks. There’s only a very distorted voice and you only hear bits and pieces of the range of the other person’s voice.
How hearing aids can help
This can be helped by using hearing aids. Many of those missing pieces can be filled in by using hearing aids. But there are some unique accessibility and communication troubles that arise from using hearing aids while talking on the phone.
Feedback can occur when your hearing aids come near a phone, for instance. This can result in some uncomfortable gaps in conversation because you can’t hear that well.
Tips to improve the phone call experience
So, what can you do to overcome the obstacles of using a phone with hearing aids? Well, there are a number of tips that most hearing specialists will suggest:
- Put your phone in speaker mode as often as you can: This will counter the most severe feedback. There might still be some distortion, but your phone conversation should be mostly understandable (if not necessarily private). The best way to keep your phone and your hearing aid apart is by switching to speakerphone.
- Download a video call app: You may have an easier time making out phone conversations on a video call. It isn’t that the sound quality is somehow better, it’s that your brain has use of all of that fantastic visual information again. And again, this type of contextual information will be considerably helpful.
- Stream your phone to your hearing aid via Bluetooth. Yes, contemporary 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 begin getting rid of feedback would be switching to Bluetooth.
- Find a quiet place to conduct your phone calls. It will be much easier to hear the voice on the other end if there’s less noise. If you control background noise during phone conversations your hearing aids will work so much better.
- Don’t hide your hearing problems from the individual you’re speaking with: It’s all right to admit if you’re having difficulties! Many individuals will be just fine transferring the discussion to text message or email or video calls (or simply being a little extra patient).
- Use other assistive hearing devices: There are other assistive devices and services that can help you hear better when you’re having a phone conversation (and this includes many text-to-type services).
Depending on your general hearing needs, how frequently you use the phone, and what you use your phone for, the appropriate set of solutions will be available. With the right approach, you’ll have the tools you need to begin enjoying those phone conversations again.
Call us for some help and guidance on how to best utilize your phone and hearing aids at the same time.