Hearing devices, otherwise known as hearing aids, are designed to reduce the impact of hearing loss. If you’ve noticed problems with your hearing, or perhaps if a loved one has expressed concerns about the possibility of hearing loss, you should visit an audiologist.
Your audiologist will give you a hearing assessment and recommend a hearing aid. You should ask them questions about hearing devices and what course of action they recommend. Your audiologist will also give you advice about how to care for your hearing aid and how to adjust to your restored hearing.
How a Hearing Aid Can Help
A hearing aid might not make your hearing perfect, but it can hugely improve your hearing. They can improve your ability to hear speech and to keep track of conversations. If you’ve had issues with your confidence during conversations, especially in loud places like restaurants, then a hearing aid will help you.
You’ll be more likely to hear a phone ring or the doorbell ringing, so you won’t miss anything. You will also find it easier to listen to music and the television, allowing you to enjoy them more and get the most out of them without turning the volume up.
How Can I Adjust to My Hearing Aid?
As mentioned before, your audiologist will tell you how to adjust to using the device. After you’ve experienced hearing loss for a while, you may find it difficult to adjust to hearing all the sounds in your environment again. To get used to your new devices, you will typically follow a schedule to wear them periodically throughout the day, allowing you to warm up to the sounds.
You can also change the settings on your hearing aid to change the volume and the programming. Your audiologist will show you how to do this, and they may have to adjust it themselves. However, many people find it more than worth it.
Different Types of Hearing Aids
There are three main styles of hearing aids, which are designed to deal with different degrees of hearing loss and have different pros and cons. They are known as behind-the-ear (BTE), in-the-ear (ITE) and in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids. Your choice depends on your level of hearing loss and your personal preferences.
BTE hearing aids are very common and are used by people who experience a wide range of hearing loss, from mild to profound. They are made up of a hard plastic case that’s worn behind the ear, which is connected to a plastic earmold that fits inside the ear. These hearing aids are worn by people of all ages, but they are more noticeable than other styles.
ITE hearing aids fit inside the outer ear bowl and can help with mild-to-severe hearing loss, but not as much as BTE hearing aids. They are smaller and less obvious; however, and don’t cause any obstructions with glasses.
ITC hearing aids can be almost invisible as they’re designed to sit inside the ear canal itself. They are designed for mild-to-moderate hearing loss and are harder to adjust or deal with because they’re so small.
