It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the many factors to consider when choosing the right hearing aids to improve the quality of your hearing. These incredible pieces of technology come packed with a range of features and options that you must consider to get the right fit.
Thanks to digital technological advancements, hearing aids have become a more realistic solution for recovering the quality of hearing.
Phonak allows you to become a hearing aid provider by allowing you to become a reseller through innovative global hearing aid manufacturing. For over 70 years, Phonak has believed in changing lives and creating a better world for everyone. The hearing aid manufacturer works closely with hearing care solution providers.
What Level of Hearing Technology Do You Need?
Most of today’s hearing aids are digital and come in different technology levels. And not surprisingly, you will find that the most advanced hearing aids tend to be the most expensive. Therefore, it is important to consider your day-to-day use of the hearing aids you plan to buy.
Think about the places you visit and things you need to hear and choose the hearing aids that will improve your hearing quality based on those factors.
1. Programmability
The first thing you must understand about hearing amplification products is that they are not all created equal. You will notice a big enough difference between their designs and performances. And while you may not necessarily need the most expensive hearing aid model or design, you should pay more attention to your hearing aids’ programmability.
You want a hearing aid programmed to enhance your hearing ability to meet your distinct hearing loss and needs. Otherwise, all sounds will be amplified uniformly, which might not make your hearing any better than before.
You can also ask your audiologist or hearing specialist about the programming capabilities of different hearing aids and how to set them for use in different circumstances.
2. Budget
As already mentioned, different hearing aids come at different prices, with the most expensive options coming packed with more features and high-end technologies. Most digital hearing aids cost anywhere between $700 and $6,000 per ear, sometimes even higher.
It is also important to note that you don’t really need an expensive hearing aid to hear better. Moreover, sometimes even the most expensive hearing aids might not be the best option for you.
Therefore, be honest with yourself and make your decision based on the everyday hearing challenges and problems you face. Naturally, you can only weigh your options between what you can afford and the level of hearing technology you need to improve your quality of hearing.
3. Style
When buying hearing aids, you need to think of them as an extension of yourself. After all, they will be a part of your life, and you will have them on for most parts of the day and sometimes at night too.
As such, it is vital that you choose hearing aids that you feel comfortable with and confident having on for longer periods. Some people take their looks and overall appearances very seriously. And most of today’s hearing aid manufacturers take this into account as well.
You can now find hearing aids that are almost invisible or are nearly matched with your skin tone and color. Many of today’s hearing aids come in a wide selection of styles and colors. You will definitely find your preferred options that match your preferences and personal style.
Hearing aids come in many different styles and sizes, ranging from behind-the-ear to the middle of the ear canal.
You will want to balance appearance, cost, ease-of-use, and functionality when deciding on the best hearing aid styles to buy. You may want to work with an audiologist on this one so you get the best hearing aid with the best design that fits your needs. Besides the style of your hearing aids, there are many other elements you must take into consideration.
4. Ease of Use
Most of today’s hearing aids can be tiny and tricky to wear, especially if you have difficulty handling small objects. Moreover, smaller hearing aids come with smaller batteries that can be quite challenging to change regularly. It can be a challenging task for the elderly who have problems with their fingers or hands.
Vision issues may also come into effect and can impact your choice of hearing aids. Choosing those that you can adjust automatically can be very helpful.
5. Background Noise Minimization
Depending on your type of hearing loss, you may prefer hearing aids with background noise and feedback suppression features. Fortunately, many digital hearing aid models already come with background noise minimization built-in. But it’s still always best to validate this with every product you buy that comes with this feature.
Most modern hearing aids also come with microprocessors that can distinguish between low-frequency sounds (background noise) and high-frequency sounds (speech). These microprocessors are designed to intensify speech while suppressing all other sounds (background noise).
6. Directional Microphones
Many people invest in hearing aids to hear a mixture of sounds and various other reasons. But the main reason for buying these hearing devices is to hear and understand other people’s conversations more clearly.
Therefore, if this is the case for you, you will want to look into directional microphones when buying your hearing aids. Hearing aids with this feature contain two or more microphones built into them at specific distances from each other. This allows the contrast in arrival time of sound to both microphones to dictate how your hearing aids react to the sound.
Essentially, directional microphones allow your hearing aids to target the specific source of the sound and focus the microphone nearest to the direction of that sound, allowing you to hear more clearly.
7. Telecoils
This is a small copper coil that is integrated into your hearing aid. A telecoil allows you to talk on the phone without any feedback and connects to hearing loop systems. For example, if your hearing aid has a loop system installed and you attend a cinema or church, the sound will be transmitted directly into your hearing aid. This allows for optimum clarity without the echoes.
8. Wireless Connectivity
You would be amazed by just how much technological advancement has revolutionized hearing aids. If you just bought a new smartphone or iPhone, you will probably want to invest in compatible hearing aids that allow you to connect with your mobile device wirelessly.
These hearing aids allow you to stream your telephone calls and music directly to your ear for optimum sound quality. You can even use your mobile device to control your hearing aid remotely, allowing you to regulate the volume and other settings inconspicuously.
Do You Need a Hearing Aid in One or Both Ears?
This is perhaps one of the most important factors that will influence whether you buy one or two hearing aids. If you have hearing loss in only one ear, then you can buy just one hearing aid. Having sounds coming in from both ears will allow you to identify where those sounds are coming from.
Hearing aids imitate the natural hearing process, allowing you to hear and process sounds more clearly. The same also applies when you have hearing loss on both ears. You will need two hearing aids to allow you to better understand speech, especially in noisy situations.
Remember, it is important that you consider your hearing priorities above everything else when buying hearing aids. Therefore, ensure you take enough time to make the right decision based on your hearing priorities. This depends on several factors.
Maybe you want to hear more clearly or prefer some added connectivity features in your hearing aids. Perhaps you prefer hearing aids with directional microphones and background noise reduction features.
Whatever the case, knowing your hearing priorities should help you find the right hearing aids that will help you hear sounds more clearly when you need them the most.
Recognize and Accept Your Hearing Loss
Very few people always come out to admit that they are losing their hearing capability. So, naturally, there will always be some resistance to accepting hearing loss. Most times, people who have just started having hearing complications tend to assume that the problem rests with people around you mumbling.
However, if you are getting older, have a history of working in very noisy environments like concerts or factories, or people close to you continuously suggest that you have a hearing issue, you should see a hearing expert. At other times, the evidence of hearing loss can be so conspicuous that you recognize it yourself. Whenever this happens, you know it’s time to see an audiologist for a hearing test.
Find the Best Hearing Aids to Improve Your Quality of Life
If your hearing test shows signs of hearing loss, then yes. And while it can be difficult to accept using hearing aids, not using them altogether can increase your hearing complications and other social and medical problems.
Phonak provides you with a clear path to healthy hearing by providing the best hearing care advice. These tips can help you make a more informed decision when shopping for your next hearing aids. Our hearing care professionals are trained to help you make the best, well-informed decision when looking for hearing aids.