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A common question we get daily is, “how long will my hearing aids last?” and “when should I replace them?” The answer everyone loves is, “it depends!” It depends for a number of reasons.

Hearing aids are electronic devices that we wear. They are subject to our sweat, ear wax, humidity, oils, hairspray, etc… Everyone will have a different experience with the longevity of their hearing instruments dependent upon these factors and how well they care for the hearing instruments. One person’s hearing aid(s) can last years without ever having a problem, while some people have issues more frequently.

When that hearing aid breaks and it is no longer covered by a warranty, your choice becomes repair the hearing aid or replace it. Often by the time a repair is needed, hearing aid technology has advanced to the point where replacing it will yield better results, not just a new working version of the broken hearing aid. The positive results from an upgraded hearing aid often times outweigh the lower cost of a repaired hearing device.

Also, there are limiting factors in the severity of one’s hearing loss. If the hearing loss change is significant, replacing the device might be the only option available. Some models of hearing aids are limited by what hearing losses they can compensate for.

To give some “numbers” to this, the average number of years in between someone replacing hearing aid(s) is 5 years. However, that is not to say that the hearing aid will not last longer (or shorter) than this. Often times better hearing will be available through the use of different hearing instruments and it is your personal choice to determine at what point the benefits outweigh the cost.