Hearing aids have undergone drastic transformations since their inception as a simple and bulky sound-amplifying device to today’s smart digital hearing aids that come with Bluetooth connectivity and noise cancellation features. Modern-day digital hearing aids are more compact, aesthetically pleasing, and powerful, offering a more natural listening experience. You can choose from a wide range of options, including those with modern technology and sleek designs.
With so many options available, it often gets overwhelming to select the right device for your unique hearing profile and lifestyle needs. Therefore, this guide talks about the top designs and styles you must explore and breaks down the smart features available in today’s hearing devices. In the end, we will also provide some practical and helpful tips on choosing the right digital hearing aids in Kolkata, enabling you to make an informed and smart decision.
What are Digital Hearing Aids?
Digital hearing aids are advanced electronic medical devices that use computer chips to convert the captured sound waves into digital signals. These devices use microphones to process the digitised sounds to improve clarity, amplifying the sounds to a suitable level for the person suffering from hearing impairment.
Unlike analogue hearing aids, digital aids are more sophisticated with smart features like precision sound customisation, noise reduction to separate speech from unwanted background noise, feedback cancellation, and wireless connectivity to smartphones, TV, and other devices. What’s more, digital hearing aids have multiple listening programs that enable users to adjust their sound quality based on their varying listening environments, enhancing hearing and speech understanding.
Key Features You Should Look for in Digital Hearing Aids
While choosing the best digital hearing aid, consider opting for devices that come with the following features and benefits:
- Noise Reduction and Speech Enhancement: Reduces background sounds to enhance speech understanding.
- Directional Microphones: Improves the signal-to-noise ratio to help you focus on the speaker’s voice.
- Rechargeable Batteries: Rechargeable batteries in smart hearing aids eliminate the need for frequent battery changes.
- Feedback Cancellation: Prevents and eliminates any squealing or whistling noises.
- Bluetooth Connectivity: Stream calls, music, movies, and other media directly from your smartphone, TV, or other devices.
- Custom Programming: Audiologists will fine-tune the device’s programs based on your unique hearing needs.
6 Different Types and Styles of Digital Hearing Aids
Based on your intensity or type of hearing loss, your lifestyle choices, and your budget, your audiologist will recommend one of the following hearing aid devices.
- Behind-the-Ear (BTE): BTE aids, which sit behind the ear, are one of the most durable and suitable for all ages.
- Receiver-in-Canal (RIC): RIC devices are smaller than BTE and deliver natural sound experiences.
- In-the-Ear (ITE): ITE hearing aids are custom-moulded to fit inside the outer ear, making them less prominent.
- In-the-Canal (ITC): ITC devices are more discreet and are custom-fitted to fit partially in the ear canal.
- Invisible-in-the-Canal (IIC): IIC aids are more discreet than ITC aids as they sit inside the ear canal (but not as deep as the CIC aids).
- Completely-in-Canal (CIC): CIC hearing aids sit deep inside the ear canal, close to the eardrum, making them completely invisible.
5 Smart Tips for Choosing the Right Digital Hearing Aid
Here are some useful tips to help you make informed decisions while choosing a hearing aid.
- Get a Professional Consultation: An audiologist is the right person to evaluate and determine the type and degree of your hearing loss, based on which they will recommend the most suitable device.
- Consider Comfort Levels: Think about your comfort and try your chosen device before the final purchase to ensure a comfortable and suitable fit.
- Focus on Lifestyle Choices: Active hearing aid users may prefer water-resistant, durable, and technology-heavy devices. While some prefer all-day comfort, others may prioritise Bluetooth connectivity and other technological features.
- Set a Suitable Budget: Hearing aid prices may vary based on features, technology used, and model. Determine your budget and try to find a balance between useful features and the value-for-money factor.
- Learn About After-Sales Services: Ask your audiologist whether regular device fine-tunings and program adjustments are required, which ensures long-term performance and longer lifespan of the device.
Final Words
Choosing a suitable digital hearing aid according to your hearing profile, lifestyle choices, and cosmetic preferences is crucial to ensure better hearing and a better quality of life. Before the purchase, explore different technological features and styles to ensure better sound clarity, comfort fit, and confidence in day-to-day conversations.
To make more informed purchase decisions, consult a professional audiologist at your nearest hearing aid clinic. A qualified audiologist will guide you thoroughly throughout your hearing care journey and recommend the best digital hearing aids in Kolkata based on your unique hearing profile and personal preferences.
FAQs
Digital hearing aids are capable of addressing mild to profound hearing loss. While the entry-level devices are more suitable for mild to moderate degrees of hearing loss, the high-power digital hearing aids can address severe to profound hearing loss, especially the BTE models, as they usually have stronger amplifiers and longer battery lives.
Yes, you can comfortably wear digital hearing aids throughout the day since most modern models are made of lightweight materials and offer custom-fit options. However, hearing aids should be removed before going to sleep or taking a shower to avoid damage and discomfort.
It depends on your particular hearing aid model. If it’s a rechargeable hearing aid, it needs to be charged every day or every couple of days, depending on battery strength. On the other hand, traditional models with disposable batteries may require battery changes every 3-10 days, depending on usage.
