Once you have taken the leap and had your hearing tested you can know the extent of your hearing loss. Now the only decision is what type and model of hearing aid is best suited for your needs. With so many options on the market, this decision can be more confusing than one may first suspect. These tiny and incredibly helpful devices will be with you from the time you wake up till the time you go to sleep for years so it’s a good idea to find the best ones for you. Here are a few things to consider in selecting the best hearing aids for your hearing needs and lifestyle.
What do you want out of your hearing aids?
Once you have established the extent of your hearing loss a few choices must be made for you. For instance, there are certain models that will work for your specific hearing loss. A person with severe hearing loss will get the best benefit from a cochlear implant over a hearing aid, while a person with mild hearing loss has more versatile options. Part of deciding what hearing aids are best for you is asking yourself what you want out of them in the first place.
Style and fashion
There are many different styles out there, some very noticeable while others are more discrete. At this point there should be no stigma around wearing hearing aids but if you do not want people to notice your hearing aids initially an invisible in canal (IIC) fits within the hearing aid, making them almost undetectable. However, these can be too small for hands with limited dexterity, so there are many factors to consider. If you want to make a fashion statement around treating your hearing loss, there are a host of styles and colors to fit in proudly with your personal fashion.
What works best for your lifestyle?
Are you the type of person who goes out often or likes to stay at home? If you don’t go out often you may not have the same needs as someone who enjoys going to noisy restaurants or clubs. Another factor is your profession. Do you work at home, or in a noisy office or industrial setting? There are features on hearing aids which specifically highlight the sound of a speaker in front of you, while sending other noises to the back. This feature comes in handy with a face-to-face conversation in a noisier environment. However, if your life is not so noisy it may not be a priority to invest in that feature. Another lifestyle factor is your level of physical activity. If you are someone who spends a lot of time outside or in a humid environment, water resistance and wind reduction features may be a wise investment for your hearing aids.
Compatibility with technology
These days it seems like people of all ages use a Smartphone. If you enjoy your Smartphone, then it may be a good investment to get hearing aids which can be controlled by this device. You can not only adjust listening programs and volume on your hearing aids from your phone but stream phone calls, podcasts, music and more directly to your ears. This makes interfacing and hearing media clearer than ever before for hearing aid users. Some hearing aids also come equipped with telecoil technology which can automatically link into an audio system in a public place such as an auditorium, theater, place of worship or train station. If you frequent any of these public places regularly, telecoils can help you stay connected and up to date on sound broadcast from public PA systems.
Make your decision as soon as possible
The loudest sounds are often the last to go, but many hearing aid users don’t realize they have lost some of the most quiet and subtle sounds until they start wearing them. It takes most people on average 7 to 10 years from the time they suspect they have hearing loss to finally invest in hearing aids and by then many have become used to missing the chirping of birds or water rushing quietly down a stream.
It’s important to remember that these sounds not only help to create calm but if you can’t hear these sounds there are other subtle sounds you are missing which are making a huge impact in how you communicate. Even a mild hearing loss can start to cause cognitive decline so it’s best to not put off dealing with a hearing loss. To find out what hearing aids could be best for you, make an appointment to have your hearing tested today.