Forget 312 Batteries – Why You Should Start Thinking About Rechargeable

We are very lucky to be living in a time of evolution in digital technology, especially in medicine. One of the best ways we’ve evolved as a society is with the help of high-quality hearing aids. It’s not just the outsides of the hearing aids that have changed, either. 

The outside may have evolved from the giant, behind the ear options to the more discreet options that sit in the ear, but that doesn’t mean that the insides haven’t changed. In fact, one of the best changes that has occurred in the hearing aid sphere is the way we power them. 

Batteries are the biggest bugbear of anyone who has to wear hearing aids to support their hearing. The problem is that they don’t last particularly long and you have to take it out every time you want to let your hearing aid breathe. When you are considering your hearing aids, you should think about robust, rechargeable hearing aid batteries instead of the 312 hearing aid batteries. Disposable hearing aids have been ruling the hearing aid world for years, but what about the rechargeable options out there?

The traditional battery sources for hearing aid wearers include the zinc air battery, and the user has to pull the tab off the back of the battery before it can be activated. The battery is then working once it’s fully oxygenated, but that is where it starts to lose power, too. This means that even when you’re not using your hearing aid, the battery is depleting and there’s not much you can do about it. You can’t reverse the process of oxygenation! You expect that disposable batteries aren’t going to last very long, and your audiologist will talk you through how to change the battery and what to do if your battery life seems to be dying. 

Disposable batteries can last up to twelve days but that means spending the cash to change your batteries up to 120 times in one year! That’s not convenient, not when you should be thinking about how rechargeable batteries are the most convenient option. 

Choosing Rechargeable Batteries

There’s an alternative to the disposable batteries, and that’s the joy of rechargeable options. Popping them out, plugging them in and letting them charge could be the best choice that you make for your hearing health. You can charge them as you need to – and your audiologist will show you how to do this safely – and you can ensure that you are wearing something that doesn’t need to be charged until you’re done for the day. Rechargeable batteries hold their charge all day and you don’t have to worry about plugging them in until the last point of the day. 

The studies show that people prefer this option for their hearing health because there is an obvious improvement in their quality of life. As the rechargeable batteries can supply 24 hours of use, they are not as fussy as the disposable battery options. They’re also eco-friendly, as the batteries don’t need to be going to the trash every couple of weeks. You can’t see how close you are to the end of your battery life with the disposable options, but you can when you have rechargeable batteries. 

Types of Rechargeable Batteries

There are so many advantages to choosing rechargeable hearing aid batteries and there are advantages to the different materials, too. The reason that most people choose the lithium-ion batteries is because they hold their charge for 24 hours at a time. Smartphones benefit from this battery type, too, so that should give you some comfort to know that you are choosing something that powers your favorite piece of tech!

Another material used is silver-zinc technology. This was originally designed for NASA, which should give you some confidence in the ability within your new hearing aid batteries. These can even be used to update the current hearing aids you’ve got, which makes them far more current than they were before. 

They can produce enough power to last you all day, too. There are also models of rechargeable hearing aid batteries that allow you to charge them without taking the battery out at all. The hearing aid itself is placed on a charging station while you’re asleep, or when it’s not in use at all. 

These are all excellent strategies that offer the advantages you need over other battery types. Every option should be properly vetted, as you need a complete picture of whether they are right for you. If you are looking for more information about rechargeable batteries, the best person to talk to is your audiologist. Call Hearing Aid Consultants of North Mississippi at (662) 234-1337 today!