Hearing aid equipment is designed to decrease the impact of auditory loss symptoms, but picking the right one can be tricky and often an overwhelming experience.
When it comes to your hearing, there should be no compromises. Ear health is as important as any other area of the body. Hearing aids can provide the support that you need to get back to capable hearing, but how do you pick the right ones? Read the tips below to find out more.
What Do Hearing Aids Do?
The simple fact to know about hearing aids is that they are devices that enable the wearer to receive sound better. They are small, sit inside or outside of the ear, and facilitate hearing for the person who wears them. This means daily life is improved and communication is back on track. There are three parts that make up the overall structure of a hearing aid. They are the speaker, amplifier, and microphone. The microphone picks up the sound, the amplifier sends it to the speaker and the speaker puts it straight into the ear of the wearer. Simple, right? So how do you choose the best fit for you when there are so many options?
Think About Style
The first question is do you want a device that sits in your ear subtly or on the outside of your ear? While outside of the ear hearing aids are still quite unnoticeable, lots of people are reluctant to try them because of where they sit and opt instead for an in-ear model.
Behind The Ear
If you were to explore behind the ear options, you would find they are decently efficient. They service those with moderate to high hearing loss and, as the name suggests, sit directly behind the ear with parts of the device also transferring inside.
Inside The Ear
For inside the ear hearing aids, the device goes either in the ear canal or around the outer ear. Canal specific devices tend to cost more but are more bespoke than any other model, often being designed for a specific ear for the individual wearer.
The Add-Ons and Extras
Thinking about features is important because unless you answer the question of what you need from the hearing aid, you will never be able to pick the best option for your ears. While hearing aids on a basic level make it easier to hear and therefore communicate, there are additional considerations on the table as well. For example, anyone who struggles with specific conditions that coexist with general hearing loss, such as tinnitus, may opt for a feature that counteracts this head-on so they are getting double the relief. There is a long list of other things to think about from wireless connection to remote controls and it all depends on what you want to spend and what you want the device to do. Small hearing aids in recent years have become succinct and filled with amazing features, so don’t think you have to buy massive cases just to get the best features.
Battery Life
Hearing aids are electronic devices and therefore require a power source in order to function. You can charge them up with a regular plug or use specific styled batteries. Batteries will run out faster the more you use the hearing aids, but it is up to you to think about how much you want to spend and how you want to charge them. It would be handy to have the option to boost your battery as you are out and about too, and a lot of modern aids do have this as standard if you opt for a power bar as well.
Mix It Up
All of the hearing aids out there perform slightly differently. Some are made for noisy clubs or popular restaurants while others are meant for a quiet evening at home with a movie. You need to get to know which category you fall into and purchase accordingly. It would be no good at all to acquire a hearing aid product that only helps you with hearing in loud places if you spend most of your time socializing in small groups and staying at home.
Do You Want An App?
So many things are controlled from mobile phones directly in the modern era that hearing aids would be far behind the curve if they didn’t provide this as an option in certain styles, models, and brands. You can also find models that connect to your phone, which is great for the modern wearer or someone who wants to step into this decade.
Getting hearing aids doesn’t need to be a stressful experience. Be guided by what feels right, and make sure you do not compromise on style and function because these are the most important bits to think about! They need to work well and look how you want them to look.