Tips for Selecting Hearing Aids

Considering buying your first or a new pair of hearing aids? Congratulations! This is an excellent step to improve your life. Hearing aids are a big investment. Make sure to use these tips to ensure you are getting exactly what you need and want.

The Appointment

Your first audiologist appointment may feel nerve-racking but there is nothing to be fearful of! Your audiologist will want to review your past medical and lifestyle or occupational history as well as discuss the hearing loss symptoms you’ve been experiencing. When you go to your appointment keep these tips in mind:

• Bring a friend– Two is better than one. Especially at your audiologist appointment. A family member or friend can help to hear more as well as ask questions that you may not have thought of yet.
• Take notes- Whether before, during, or after your appointment, you will have questions. Write down your questions and topics for discussion prior to going to the audiologist so you don’t forget anything important. During your appointment, you will want to jot down important information to review after. Even afterwards, you may think of information you want clarification on or to ask about at your next appointment, make sure to write those down as well and store it in a safe place where you will remember for next time.
• Hearing Test- If the audiologist recommends hearing aids for treatment of your hearing loss, they should absolutely perform a hearing test. For the hearing test you will sit in a small quiet room with headphones that play beeps of various frequencies and volumes. The results of this hearing test are used to program your new digital hearing aids.

Do your own research

Before you decide on which new hearing devices you want, even before your first audiology appointment, you should do some at home research. This information will help you to gain a base knowledge before going to your provider with questions. Your audiologist will go over everything with you however having that base knowledge means that it might not be the first time you hear some of the information, making it easier to retain. 

There are many aspects to consider with new hearing aids. Below are just a few of the bigger topics to discuss and why they are important.

Style and Fit of Hearing Aids

Hearing aids today come in many shapes and sizes. Two of the primary styles are behind the ear (BTE) hearing aids and in the ear (ITE) options. There are pros and cons to both options which is why it’s important to consider your lifestyle when choosing.

BTE hearing aids rest behind the ear and are connected to a small dome in the ear canal by a thin wire. They are easy to put on and take off and therefore better for those with less dexterity in the hands. They are also easier to keep clean as the more sensitive pieces of technology sit outside the ear canal and therefore collect less debris such as ear wax.

ITE hearing aids sit entirely inside the ear canal. There are even smaller options such as completely in the canal (CIC) hearing aids that are nearly invisible to others which is important for some. Furthermore if you wear glasses, ITE hearing aids may be more comfortable as they don’t interfere with where your glasses sit on the ear. 

Enhancements

In addition to style and fit, it is important to consider what additional features are available that can enhance your hearing aid experience. 

Digital hearing aids offer settings that can reduce background noise and even offer directional microphones. If you go out to eat with family or meet friends for a game night, these can be incredibly useful options. Not only will it reduce unnecessary background noise but it will amplify the sound from the direction you are facing, the person you are talking to.

There are even options to include Bluetooth technology in your digital hearing aids. This means you can connect to other Bluetooth compatible devices and have them play through your hearing aids, such as phone and music devices. 

There are so many features digital hearing aids offer that it is hard to sum up here. However, as you can see, they can improve your quality of life in great ways. 

Make an appointment with an audiologist today to discuss your options.