Hearing aids are now one of the most common means of helping people with various hearing loss issues improve their hearing. While hearing aids themselves do not treat or fix a person’s natural hearing, they make it easier for you to hear and get back to your normal life. But before you decide you need a hearing aid device; you first have to visit an audiologist to examine the severity of your hearing loss and determine if using a hearing aid is an option worth considering.
When getting new hearing aids, a million questions might fly in and out of your mind. This is to be expected as there is a lot to learn and understand about hearing devices. That’s why you need to be certain that you’re making the right choice should you decide to get a hearing aid device.
It is also important to know what you can expect from using a hearing aid and how it can impact your life. So, if you’re thinking about visiting your audiologist regarding the probable use of hearing aids, here are three questions you should ask.
Are Hearing Aids Comfortable to Wear?
It is important to be sure that you are comfortable wearing your hearing aids. For example, if you usually wear glasses, you want to ensure that your hearing aid and glasses do not get in each other’s way. Also, if you work in a very noisy environment and wear hearing protection during work, it helps to know what to do with your hearing aids during working hours.
Your audiologist should be able to walk you through all these scenarios and answer your questions about how your hearing aid might impact your daily activities. Your audiologist should also have sample devices you can try out in their offices to help you identify which style feels more comfortable for you.
Regarding style, there are various hearing aid styles such as in the ear (ITE), behind the ear (BTE) and in the canal (ITC) available to choose from. Additionally, your audiologist will examine your ear size, shape and the severity of your hearing loss to identify which hearing aid style will be the most appropriate for you.
The sound of the device is also considered when addressing comfortability. Talk to your audiologist about the sound level and quality your device may offer. For example, will you hear with as much clarity as your natural hearing used to offer? Will the amplification level be too loud? Can you adjust the sound level?
Will My Hearing Aids Be Visible to Others?
While hearing aids can massively improve the quality of your life, not everyone is keen on people noticing their hearing device. If you’re one of such people, you may want to know if your hearing aid device will be visible to others. As mentioned previously, hearing aids come in various styles, and these styles offer different levels of discreteness, with some designs more visible than others.
If you have no problem with visibility, this may not be a pressing issue. But if you do, your audiologist should be able to help you try out various hearing aid samples in front of a mirror to see how they look on you.
Beyond visibility, aesthetics may also matter. If you’re a stylish person, you’d prefer your device to offer more visual appeal. So, be sure to keep that also in mind when trying out the samples at your audiologist’s office.
How Do I Care for My Device?
It also helps to know how to care for your hearing aid, from cleaning and maintenance to repairs. After selecting your preferred hearing aid style, your audiologist would take you through its required cleaning and care routine.
Generally, maintaining and caring for your device should be pretty simple, as the most important things are to clean it after each use, avoid getting it dirty and keep it free from moisture. Since device care is mostly straightforward, you should have little to worry about concerning maintenance expenses.
Contact Us Today
At Audiology & Hearing Aid Solutions, we are your guiding hand throughout your hearing loss treatment process. So, don’t hesitate to ask us any other questions that may come to mind about hearing aids. To learn more about how we can support your hearing health, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at (973) 721-6520, (973) 721-6520, (201) 375-9081, (973) 721-6520, (201) 375-9081 and (973) 721-6520.
