4 Ways to Pick the Best Hearing Device for You

Searching for a new hearing aid? You may be wondering how to pick the best one to suit your individual needs and preferences. Here are four top tips that will help with this big decision.

1. Consult Your Audiologist

Your starting point when choosing a hearing aid to suit your needs is to consult your audiologist. Your audiologist will have the best understanding of your specific type of hearing loss and your individual needs. They’ll be able to make recommendations regarding which hearing aids will provide you with the best assistance and they can also take into account any queries or questions you have, making specific recommendations and perhaps even having options on-site that you can take a look at.

2. Set Yourself a Budget

The next step that you need to take when searching for new hearing aids is to set yourself a budget. Different options come hand in hand with different price tags and you need to know how much you can afford to spend on your hearing aids in order to determine what price category you need to shop within.

3. Understand the Different Styles of Hearing Aid

There are a number of different styles of hearing aid to choose from, so it’s important that you’re aware of all of the different options available to you. There’s no right or wrong choice when it comes to different styles. Instead, different styles are simply designed for different types of hearing loss, or to cater to different preferences. The most common styles of hearing aid include:

• In the canal (ITC): This hearing aid is custom molded and fits partly in the ear canal. It is also suited to adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
• In the ear (ITE): You can get this hearing aid in one of two styles. The first will fill most of your outer ear and one will only fill the lower part. These are suitable for adults with mild-to-moderately severe hearing loss.
• Behind the ear (BTE): This hearing aid hooks over the top of your ear and rests behind the ear. This will be suitable for almost anyone with any type of hearing loss.

4. Know What Additional Features You’d Like

All hearing aids have basic features, including a microphone, amplifier, receiver and battery. But different models now have additional features that could sway you to choose them over an alternative. It’s a good idea to start your hearing aid search with an understanding of what additional features you’re looking for. Some examples of additional features that you might find appealing include:

• Noise reduction
• Directional microphones
• Rechargeable batteries
• Telecoils
• Wireless connectivity
• Remote controls

These four steps should help you on your way to purchasing the right hearing aid. Got questions? Get in touch with your audiologist for further help and support.