Suppose that you have just consulted a hearing care professional, who informed you that it would be wise for you to wear a hearing aid. Whether you were expecting that or not, naturally you need some time to let it sink in. Of course, you could decide to take no action, but that would mean depriving yourself of many wonderful sounds and interesting conversations. No doubt the people you talk to daily would also be happy if you tackled your hearing problems. And remember: use it or lose it – it’s essential to keep stimulating your brain. And the only way to do that is to offer it sounds by means of a hearing aid.
Steps to take
Figure out what kind of hearing aid you need and best matches your preferences. If you prefer an in-the-ear hearing aid, the Lyric might be a good option. But maybe you’d prefer a made-to-measure hearing aid to go into your ear canal. Or perhaps a ‘gadget’ hearing aid that enables you to play your favourite music or podcast is more your style. There are many different hearing aids nowadays that offer more and more functionality. You can view the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of hearing aids here.
Which hearing aid is best for you?
Your hearing care professional can tell you all about this. The most important thing is that not all types of hearing aids are suitable for everyone. It is essential to determine your type of hearing loss, as there are different kinds.
Some people will hear low tones clearly and have difficulty hearing higher frequencies. For other people, the opposite applies. And some people have a “flat” audiogram, meaning that they can hear low and high frequencies equally poorly.
We distinguish mild, moderate, severe and profound hearing loss. This is also relevant to your choice of hearing aid. Some people may have enough room for an in-the-ear hearing aid in their ear canal, while for others even a small hearing aid may end up in their outer ear.
Your eardrum may be intact, but if your ear was ever operated on this may have left an opening, making a hearing aid with an replaceable dome unsuitable, as the dome may get stuck. And if you tend to suffer from ear infections or produce a lot of earwax, an in-ear receiver may get clogged up or be more likely to become faulty. In that case, a behind-the-earhearing aid – where the receiver is inside the hearing aid’s housing and a thin tube runs into the ear – would be a better purchase.
As you can see, there are many things to consider. But you don’t have to know about all of them – feel free to ask your hearing care professional, he or she will know!
Just be sure to determine what would be important in a hearing aid to you, so you can quickly and easily make the right choice and start getting used to your “new ears” as soon as possible.
Feeling a little overwhelmed? We understand, that’s to be expected. That’s why we have put together the summary below of some points to consider when choosing the right hearing aid for you:
● The position of the hearing aid – inside your ear canal, in your ear or behind your ear?
● Batteries or rechargeable?
● How long should the battery last? (4 days, 7 days, 2 weeks etc.)
● Would you like to link up your smartphone via Bluetooth?
● The latest technology, or a model that’s been on the market for a few years?
● Colour to match your skin tone or your hair colour?
● Expandable with a directional or table microphone?
● A button to activate a program or adjust the volume, or an app?
● Remotely adjustable by your hearing care professional?
● What is your budget
We hope that the tips above will make it easier for you to choose. And remember: by wearing a hearing aid you will be doing yourself a favour by keeping the hearing parts of your brain in good shape!
Looking for advice?
Don’t hesitate to contact one of our hearing care professionals! We can be contacted by chat until 10 pm every day.
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