How to Choose the Right Hearing Aid for You

Have you noticed that you’re having trouble hearing? This can be incredibly frustrating, and it can get in the way of your ability to enjoy life. But there’s no need to live with hearing loss. Seeing a doctor can help you pinpoint the cause, and you might also discover that getting a hearing aid is the simple solution to hearing better. 

There are different types of hearing aids available, so you might be wondering how you can go about selecting the one that’s right for you. We’re here to help with the brief guide below. 

What are the different types of hearing aids?

To be able to choose the right hearing aid, you first need to have a basic understanding of the various options a doctor might recommend based on the type of hearing loss you’ve experienced. And the great news is you can find a hearing aid that’s so small no one will even know you’re wearing it!

Think about how large you want a hearing aid to be, and how you’d like it to fit on or in your ear. This can help you narrow down your options. Just keep in mind that your doctor will be able to confirm whether a specific type of hearing aid will be able to improve your ability to hear, as different products may be designed for different types and levels of hearing loss. 

Here are some of the main types of hearing aids to consider:

• Behind the Ear (BTE) hearing aid – Part of this hearing aid sits behind the ear and another part of it sits in the ear canal. The Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) hearing aid has similar features. This design might be a good choice if you don’t want it to be obvious to others that you’re wearing a hearing aid.
• Open-fit hearing aid – This hearing aid is less obvious, and it’s similar to the BTE type. It doesn’t cover the ear canal, so it helps you hear certain frequencies that you have trouble with, while allowing others to be heard naturally.
• In the Ear (ITE) hearing aid – This type of hearing aid sits inside your ear canal. Some of these are more obvious than others, depending on their size and how deeply into the ear canal they sit. Examples include Completely in the Canal (CIC) and In the Canal (ITC) models. 

A high-tech hearing aid can make life easier

Modern advancements have made hearing aids better than ever. Today, you can talk to your doctor about various hearing aids, but you can also discuss myriad features that make them even more effective and easier to use.

One feature you might want to consider is a rechargeable battery. Rather than having to worry about tiny batteries that you’d need to change regularly, you can go with a hearing aid that you can recharge over and over again. Super convenient!

Bluetooth technology built into a hearing aid can be a fun feature you might want to take advantage of. With this tech, you can connect your hearing aid to a mobile device or computer so you can enjoy entertainment and phone calls.  

The most important things are comfort and effectiveness!

No matter which type of hearing aid you go with, and regardless of how advanced it is, what you really want is for it to be effective and comfortable. 

Even though you might be concerned about how visible a hearing aid will be, it’s wise to focus more on finding the product that will improve your hearing without any feedback. Your doctor can help you select a hearing aid that fits perfectly and is simple for you to set in place and use daily.

It might take some trial and error, but once you start using the right hearing aid, you may never want to go back to life without it!

Sources:

https://www.drugs.com/cg/how-to-choose-a-hearing-aid.html

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/in-depth/hearing-aids/art-20044116

https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2021/choosing-a-hearing-aid.html

https://newtonhearing.com/2019/04/16/what-is-an-open-fit-hearing-aid/

https://ilovehearing.com/2020/03/23/hearing-aid-styles-explained/

http://www.srinivasentclinic.com/hearingaids.html