5 Tips to Remember While Picking Hearing Aid

"Blindness separates people from things; deafness separates people from people" said Helen Keller. Life is all about living together among people you love.

So there is no reason why hearing disability should be allowed to deter you from interacting with your loved ones and the outside world. Using hearing aids is the best solution for enabling people with hearing impairment to communicate with others.

Having detected your difficulty in hearing, the next step would be to consult ENT specialists. Nowadays, expert ENT Hospitals function as specialized centres for ENT treatment offering state-of-the-art hearing loss treatment including ear surgery and cochlear implants.

Tips for Hearing aid selection

Before selecting a hearing aid, discuss with your ENT specialist and ascertain whether you need hearing aids for one or both ears.

Hearing aids must suit you in their level of audibility, fixing position to the ear and External appearance.

Audibility Level

Are you homebound or active in your profession? - your audible needs change according to the nature of your activity. Your hearing aid must have the facility of adjustment to increase or decrease its audibility.

Do you want your audibility aid to help you hear just regular conversations or pick up the fine tunes of an orchestra or the high pitched notes of public meetings? Decide and discuss with your ENT specialist on which hearing device offers the best audible range.

Fitting position or Style

Based on its place of attachment in the ear, the hearing aid comes in various styles.

• Behind-the-ear(BTE)- these are small curved cases that fit behind the ear with a tube or wire leading to the ear canal. There are several types of BTE hearing aids -Standard, Micro, Open fit and Receiver -in -the ear (RTE)aids.
• In-the-ear (ITE) aids-This aid is fitted into the lower bowl or concha portion of the ear. These have to be customized to suit the shape of your ear concha.
• In-the-canal (ITC) aids-This style is for people who want their hearing aids to be invisible. It is fitted into the ear canal itself

Extra Features

Some hearing aids come with extra features like

• Telecoil switch settings- Here using a switch, you can adjust the loudness setting from normal to a special one in case you are speaking on the phone or hearing high-pitched noises.
• Directional Microphone-Using this, you can focus the microphone to the speaker or to the performer on stage rather than picking up all the audio tones.
• Direct audio input-this is very useful for working professionals as they can connect the hearing aid to a computer, laptop or TV so as to hear the audio without any disturbance.

Right provider

Next check for the right hearing aid provider. Does the provider offer ready and quick hearing aid service? Do they have accessible service centres in your area? Is their technology up-to-date and fault-free?

Product demonstration and warranty

Get a trial demo before buying the product. Try it on, check its comfort level and then decide. Check for its cost viability and warranty or insurance details. Learn how to store and maintain the aids when they are not in use.

Cochlear Implant

Do not fret. Even if your hardness of hearing is very acute, you can go for a cochlear implant. Here an electronic device is implanted into the cochlea of the ear to stimulate its nerves. It is ideal for people with profound deafness or deafness in both ears.

Hearing aids for children

Hearing aids for children must have soft or no ear molds and ensure that their batteries cannot be easily removed by the child.Let your hearing impairment not hamper you from experiencing the joy of sounds. Choose the right hearing aid for a comfortable experience.

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