Which Hearing Aids Are Best for Me?
Hearing aids can make a huge difference to your day to day life, but it is essential to choose the right ones. Hearing aids come in many different forms, which are designed to address different types of hearing loss or to be used in different types of environments. A hearing aids specialist can help you to choose the best match for you, but it helps to have an idea of what is available first.
Understanding Your Needs
The first step to finding the right hearing aids is to consider why you need them. The main factors that will affect your choice of hearing aids are:
- Do you need one hearing aid or two? Most people with age-related hearing loss will need a hearing aid in both ears.
- How severe is your hearing loss and what caused it?
- Which sounds do you have trouble hearing?
- What kind of sound environments do you spend most time in? Are you often in noisy places?
- Do you spend a lot of time on the phone, watching TV, listening to music or doing similar activities that involve your hearing?
- How comfortable are you with technology? Some hearing aids are very simple while others give you more options that you can change in different situations.
- How would you prefer to wear your hearing aid? Some are hidden inside the ear while others are more visible.
You will discuss this in more detail with the hearing aids specialist, who will provide personalised recommendations for you.
Choosing the Right Hearing Aid Features
Depending on your answers to the above questions, there are certain features that you may want to look for when choosing a hearing aid. You don’t have to work out the best match on your own as your hearing aid specialist will guide you towards the most suitable choices. However, it is essential for you to feel comfortable with your hearing aids so you should feel free to express your own preferences.
You might want to consider the following options for your hearing aids:
- Noise reduction or directional microphones that can block out some of the excess noise from your environment so that you can hear the important sounds (such as voices) more clearly
- Bluetooth or other technology that enables you to adjust the settings from your smartphone
- Settings that enhance the audio when you’re using the phone, watching TV or doing other activities. Some hearing aids can provide direct audio input from TVs and other devices.
- Larger behind the ear hearing aids if you have trouble handling smaller items or controls. You might also need a larger hearing aid if you have more severe hearing loss.
- Hearing aids that are hidden inside the ear or in the ear canal if you want them to be as invisible as possible and these feel comfortable for you
With so many factors to consider and options to choose from, the only way to be sure that you choose the right hearing aid is to get personalised advice from a hearing aids specialist. The specialist will ensure that you get the most effective, comfortable hearing aids that meet all of your needs.
