Hearing loss is a diagnosis for millions of people. It’s a serious problem, which changes a person’s life, dividing it into before and after. In the past, hearing loss was the hallmark of the elderly due to irreversible changes in the hearing organs. But today this trend has changed for the worse. More and more young people, teenagers, and children are suffering from hearing loss. Can I recover lost hearing? No, you cannot! But you can regain your ability to hear and understand the world around you and lead a happy and active life again!
How do I choose a hearing aid?
Choosing and buying a hearing aid is an important decision that requires the right approach and knowledge. Some Americans buy hearing aids at the audiology center or online store. They want to save time and money. Not everyone wants to contact an audiologist, thinking that they can do it themselves. This is a big mistake!
A hearing aid is a sophisticated medical device that takes into account the individual characteristics of the user. It amplifies some sounds and softens others. This creates a sound balance that allows you to hear and understand outside sounds and voices. How do you decide how to adjust sounds without using medical equipment? You don’t! How do you determine the power of a hearing aid to produce enough sound? You don’t!
Self-choosing and buying hearing aids is a bad decision, which will lead to even more frustration and new problems. Therefore, the only real step to restoring hearing is to make an appointment with the audiologist.
The hearing care professional will perform the necessary hearing tests to determine the degree of the problem. Tell the doctor about your preferences and lifestyle. There are many models of hearing aids for sale today. This variety allows you to choose the devices, which best suit your daily life. For example, do you like to run in the morning and have mild hearing loss? Then in-the-canal devices are perfect for you!
An audiologist will help you choose a hearing aid. After testing and talking to you, the doctor will offer you several options to choose from. That is not all! Hearing aids come with factory settings. And your hearing care professional will need to adjust them. After an adaptation period, you’ll enjoy high-quality sound in any acoustic environment!
To return to a happy and active life, you need to go through all the steps of treatment and meetings with a hearing care professional. Only then can you get the help you need to hear perfectly in every situation!
What hearing aid features should I choose?
Choosing a hearing aid is a step-by-step process. Each step brings you closer to restoring your hearing. But before you make your final choice, it is important to determine what features you need. Firstly, the effectiveness and ease of use depend on its features. Second, the number of features affects the cost of medical devices.
So try to combine the two. Choose equipment that fits your lifestyle and is affordable. Don’t overpay for features you won’t use. At the same time, don’t skimp by going for the cheapest option. The perfect balance of features and price is your choice!
Let’s take a look at some of the must-have features of a modern hearing aid!
Compact size
There are two main types of hearing aids: Behind-The-Ear (BTE) and In-The-Ear (ITE), each of which has several subtypes. ITE models are smaller devices that are popular with hearing-impaired people. After all, most people don’t want their hearing aid to be visible to outsiders. However, the small size of the housing also has its disadvantages. In this case, the functional characteristics of the device are reduced because the manufacturer is limited in the choice of technical “stuffing” of the hearing aid. It is worth mentioning the in-the-canal models, which fit completely inside the ear. This is ideal for active users with mild hearing loss.
Rechargeable batteries
Many manufacturers have made this a standard feature due to its popularity with users. The ability to recharge the battery will not affect sound clarity or increase the performance of the medical device. But it does make the hearing aid much easier to use, especially for people with fine motor difficulties. They no longer have to change the batteries. The only disadvantage of rechargeable batteries is that you have to take the charger with you if you are going to be away from home for a long time.
Wireless audio transmission
Bluetooth technology streams audio from any Bluetooth-enabled device (smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc.) directly into the hearing aid. This feature is now standard on most modern medical devices. When a call comes in, you simply press a button on your hearing aid. You can then talk on the phone without holding the receiver. It is very comfortable and practical!
Additional hearing aid features
We’ve looked at the must-have features that make hearing aids more comfortable to use. But there are other useful features you can use. For example:
Directional microphones. They localize sound by focusing on its source. This makes it easier to hear what you’re saying. And it makes it easier for you to concentrate on the conversation
- Noise reduction. All digital hearing aids have this as a basic feature. However, in some models it is implemented in a more advanced way, focusing on the effective suppression of specific sounds (e.g. wind noise)
- Mobile applications. When a manufacturer releases a new hearing instrument model, they often develop a suite of mobile applications for it. This is a convenient tool for fitting, remote control, etc.
- Artificial intelligence. AI adapts hearing aid settings to the sound environment. It also uses neural networks to recognize a person’s speech. AI is a useful feature in flagship hearing aids from leading manufacturers
Every hearing aid manufacturer tries to look better than the competition. That’s why new models with unique features and offers appear every year. Research and choose only the best options!
