How to Find the Best Hearing Aid for You

There are many types of hearing aids on the market so it can be challenging to know which one is the best for you. So, what is it that you need to consider when looking for a hearing aid? Do they all do the same thing? Is one better than another? And ultimately, how do you know? Well, here’s where you need to start so you can work out what is best for you.

What are your concerns?

When getting a hearing aid there might be things that are worrying you, so start by writing down a list of these things. It could be that you’re worried about how it will look. You might be worried that it won’t help you. You may be concerned that it will be too complicated to use or that you will lose them. As mentioned, write these concerns down so that you know what’s important to you and then you can do the next step.

Learn about hearing aids

The best way to work out which hearing aids are the best for you is to do as much research as you can about hearing aids. It’s important to know that hearing aids can’t restore normal hearing, but they can improve your hearing by amplifying soft sounds, helping you hear sounds that you’ve had trouble hearing. Today, most hearing aids are digital and powered with a hearing aid battery, but they do all vary in price, size, special features and the way they are placed in your ear. There are many different styles of hearing aids, so you must have a look at them all and decide which is best for you. The following lists the most common types of hearing aid style:

Completely in canal (CIC)

This type of hearing aid is molded to fit inside your ear canal and improves mild-to-moderate hearing loss in adults. It is the smallest and least visible type of hearing aid and is less likely to pick up wind noise. The CIC uses tiny batteries which have a shorter life and can be challenging to handle, and they can be susceptible to earwax clogging the speaker.

In the canal (ITC)

An ITC hearing aid is a custom-molded hearing aid which fits partly in the ear canal. This style can also improve mild to moderate hearing loss in adults. Again, it is less visible in the ear than larger styles, includes features that may not fit on CIC aids. The downside is that it can be difficult to adjust due to its small size and can also be susceptible to earwax clogging up the speaker.

In the ear (TE)

An ITE hearing aid is custom made and available in two styles; you can have one that fills most of the bowl-shaped area of your outer ear or one that fills only the lower part. These are good for people who have mild to severe hearing loss and include features such as volume control and can be easier to handle. This hearing aid uses a larger battery for longer battery life. However, it may pick up more wind noise and is more visible in the ear than smaller devices.

Behind the ear (BTE)

A BTE hearing aid is the one that hooks over the top of your ear and rests behind the ear. It is suitable for people of all ages and those with almost any type of hearing loss. Because of its size, it is ideal for individuals with dexterity issues because it’s easier to handle. This is important when handling your hearing aid during care and maintenance, insertion, removal or changing the batteries.

Open fit

An open-fit hearing aid is similar to the BTE hearing aid with a thin tube. It keeps the ear canal very open, allowing for low-frequency sounds to enter the ear naturally and for high-frequency sounds to be amplified through the hearing aid so is an excellent choice for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. Before you get hearing aids, make sure you that get a checkup from your doctor to make sure that you don’t have any correctable causes of hearing loss, such as earwax or an infection. Then ask your doctor for a referral to a good audiologist who will assess your hearing and help you choose the most suitable hearing aid as well as adjust the device to meet your needs. To learn more about your hearing aid options, call Rocky Mountain Hearing & Balance at (801) 685-3456.