Are you talking less often on the phone because you can’t hear very well. Hearing loss, as time goes by, can make you feel isolated. Don’t just quit using your phone. There are ways to deal with it so you can stay in touch with the ones you love.
Communication is The key
With any relationship, communication is an essential aspect and the same goes for your phone. The question is what can you do to make things better.
- If the volume is already on high, have you experimented with an accessory like headphones or a Bluetooth? Maybe that’s all you require to make your phone sound better and it doesn’t cost very much.
- A hearing exam is a good idea. Your hearing loss may not be permanent so it’s essential to get a correct diagnosis. Simple things including earwax buildup or an ear infection can cause temporary hearing loss.
- Are the voices too quiet? Perhaps the volume needs to be turned up.
You can have a look at more in depth solutions to get you back on the phone once you rule out the more apparent issues.
There’s an App For That
You will really have a choice between several apps. There are many apps you can download that will work to get you, and your phone back on the same page, some of which are pretty cool.
What the other person says can be turned to text with some of these apps. Not all of these apps work perfectly, but they give you some option that could be helpful. Brands to look up include:
- Live Caption
- Note, Listen for Deaf
- Hamilton Mobile Cap Tel
You can’t get all voice to text apps for free but the majority won’t cost very much.
They Make a Phone For That
If you are looking for a landline solution, you can find phones for your home that do the same thing as an app. They make it easier to hear by amplifying the sound on the other end. They also work to equalize the tone, so high pitched sounds that have a tendency to drop off become clearer.
Another solution is a captioning phone. The captioning service involves a special phone which has an LCD screen. Captioning works with a third party operator that either repeats the spoken words so speech recognition software can translate them into text or types them right into the system. From there the words are displayed on the screen of the phone. Also, the internet is necessary for the majority of captioning phones.
Text-to-Voice Teletype (TTY) is a traditional phone system that is still around and works similarly to the captioning phone. It requires a TTY device that sits next to the phone to show the text, though.
The Best Alternative Are Hearing Aids
The days when you would get ear piercing feedback when your hearing aids got near a phone are over. The newer technology can work with a hearing aid compatible phone to enhance the sound and remove interference such as background noise. Even when you are not on the phone these wireless hearing aids still work.
State of the art, high quality hearing aids can also have a more cutting edge program that permits them to be compatible with almost any phone whether it’s a landline or smartphone. The technology functions by holding the hearing device up to the phone and streaming the sound from the one to the other.
Bluetooth compatibility is also a normal feature of today’s hearing aid tech. Pairing your hearing aid up with your smart-phone is exactly the same as pairing your phone with any other Bluetooth device. The sound goes directly to your hearing aids when it rings.
Don’t let hearing loss to wreck your friendships and other relationships. Do what you must to get back on your phone, and start talking again. It’s time to make an appointment with a hearing specialist to check out the newest hearing aid technology.
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The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive a personalized free hearing test and hearing loss consultation, call today to set up an appointment.