Factors to Consider When Buying Hearing Aids
Hearing loss is one of the most common health problems that Americans face. In fact, it is estimated that about 48 million people across the country suffer from some kind of hearing loss. That really is a massive number and a pretty startling statistic. The fact of the matter is that hearing loss really has the potential to cause a lot of issues in being able to carry out daily activities. But fear not, all is not lost. There are now a whole host of technologically advanced hearing aid devices that can drastically improve the quality of life of the hearing impaired. In this article, we will take a look at the factors that you have to consider before you get yourself a pair of hearing aids.
In the past, buying hearing aids used to be a lot easier. You did not have the vast array of different kinds of products in the market. In fact, there were only a few common styles from which you had to choose and they all, essentially, worked in the same way. The way they worked really was not of substantial quality and it did not deliver impressive results.
It was only after the advent of digital technology and its introduction into the world of hearing aids, that hearing aids became a practical solution for getting back your hearing. Also, with the introduction of digital technology there was also the fact that a variety of features of hearing aids had become available in order to handle the requirements of listening in a variety of circumstances.
We can say that this is kind of a tradeoff between having easier choices which led to poor results and choices that are difficult but work well.
It is important to note that we said complicated, we did not say impossible. All you really need to do is to invest a bit of time in researching the current hearing aids. Another thing that cannot be stressed enough is that you should partner up with a hearing specialist who can guide you through the entire process and make you aware of the considerations to make.
We have listed several factors that are relevant to making a proper hearing aid purchasing decision in order to help you get the ideal hearing aid for your needs.
1. Programmability
Hearing aids are not all made in the same manner and they are definitely not all the same. In fact, we can confidently say that the difference between a high end hearing aid device and a low end hearing aid device is similar to the difference between a Porsche and a Ford Pinto.
It is true that you may not need the highest end version of hearing aids in order to get the job done. The main thing that you should be aware of and look out for is how programmable the device is.
The better hearing aids can all be programmed in order to enhance sounds according to the specific needs you have due to your particular type of hearing loss. Otherwise, what happens is that all sounds in an environment are amplified equally with the result being that you cannot make out speech easily.
2. Style
Hearing aids are available in a whole host of different shapes and sizes. There are ones that are completely behind-the-ears to those that are completely within the canals of the ear.
Ideally, you will want to get a proper balance of cost, ease-of-use, functionality, and also the visual appearance of the device when you set out to buy one. One thing that is highly recommended is to work together with a hearing aid specialist in order to make sure that you are getting the right style of hearing aid device for your particular hearing loss needs. This is an important thing as the extent to which your hearing is damaged will inform your purchasing decision.
3. Directional microphones
People get hearing aids for many purposes but the primary one is to hear and to understand speech when talking to another person.
If this applies to your situation, then it would do you a world of good if you were to inquire into whether the hearing aid of your choice has directional microphones or not.
The hearing aids that have the directional microphones have about two mics installed at a particular distance from one another within the device. The contrast that is found in the arrival time of the sound to each of the microphones will then dictate how the hearing aids will react to the sounds in the environment.
This really does allow your hearing aid device to directly target the specific source of sound that is in front of you.
4. Minimizing Background Noise
The majority of hearing aid devices in the market nowadays have background noise and feedback suppression built into them. While choosing the best hearing aid with noise cancelling technology, you should look into the specific type of technology used in it.
The hearing aids available these days also have a microprocessor that has the ability to distinguish between sounds of different frequencies. The microprocessor is then able to amplify the levels of speech while at the same time minimizing the sounds of everything else.
5. Telecoils
These are small copper coils that are integrated within the hearing aid. While it may not sound like much, the fact of the matter is that it can really achieve very impressive results.
These things make it possible to talk on the phone without having to experience feedback and they are also responsible for connecting loop systems in hearing. If, for instance, you install a hearing loop system inside of a place such as a cinema or a church, sound will then be directed towards your hearing aid device in order to achieve maximum clarity.