Do you know that many people tend to wait for 5-7 years before getting help? In a majority of cases, hearing loss is usually progressive in nature, and therefore, living with hearing loss for such a prolonged period may worsen the condition. Most people delay hearing loss treatment because they feel embarrassed wearing a visible hearing aid or fail to accept that they are suffering from a hearing problem. The truth is that not wearing hearing aids would make your hearing problems more visible, as people had to repeat themselves frequently to help you understand parts of conversations.
So, let’s come out of this social stigma and embrace a proper hearing care solution to reconnect with the world of sounds that you or a loved one may have been missing out on. If you are experiencing the early signs of hearing loss, such as increasing the TV/phone volume to levels that might make others uncomfortable, not being able to follow conversations, or missing out on doorbells or phone calls, it’s time to seek help from a professional. If you are confused about which hearing solution would be best for you, you are at the right place.
Buying Your First Hearing Aid
Buying your first hearing aid can seem overwhelming, especially when there are innumerable styles and types of hearing aids available. But it’s crucial to understand what you really need and which model will help improve your overall listening experience. Many people often tend to opt for invisible hearing aids for discreetness and to make their hearing problems less obvious, particularly in social settings. However, not all individuals would benefit from these tiny devices, as due to their small size, they often lack powerful features. In fact, the invisible models like CIC or IIC may not always be suitable for people with severe to profound hearing loss.
Understanding Different Hearing Aid Styles
Let’s understand your options and which hearing aid style would be best suited for your unique hearing profile.
- BTE (Behind-the-Ear): BTE aids are the most commonly used devices as they are best for treating mild to profound degrees of hearing loss. They sit behind the ear and are easier to handle for people with limited dexterity or motor skills.
- RIC (Receiver-in-Canal): Similar to BTE, RIC devices sit behind the ear, with the speaker placed in the ear canal itself. These models are most suitable for treating mild to severe loss, and are more discreet than BTE aids, making them a popular choice for people who want a balance between discretion and performance.
- ITE (In-the-Ear): ITE devices are custom-molded, designed to fill the outer ear. These are suitable for mild to severe hearing loss and are easier to insert than many smaller models.
- ITC (In-the-Canal): ITC aids are smaller than ITE models and are partially visible in the ear canal, making them more discreet. These models are best for people with mild to moderate loss.
- CIC (Completely-in-Canal): CIC devices sit deep in the ear canal, making them barely visible and are an excellent option for people with cosmetic preferences. However, due to their small sizes, they are suitable for mild to moderate hearing loss, as they usually lack powerful features.
- IIC (Invisible-in-Canal): IIC hearing aids are the smallest of all styles, as they sit deep inside the ear canal, near the eardrum. They offer maximum discretion and are best for treating mild to moderate hearing loss.
Analog vs. Digital Hearing Aids
Based on technology, hearing aids are again classified into two types:
- Analog Hearing Aids: Analog devices convert sound waves into electrical signals and amplify them uniformly, boosting all sounds, including speech, background noise, and everything in between, by the same amount. They are generally simpler and cheaper, but offer little to no ability to fine-tune specific frequencies or filter out unwanted noise.
- Digital Hearing Aids: Digital hearing aids convert sound into digital signals that a small computer chip processes before amplifying. This allows for precise adjustments to specific frequencies based on your audiogram, along with features like noise reduction, feedback cancellation, and directional microphones. Most people today prefer digital hearing aids, since the added processing power allows for a much more natural, customised listening experience.
The Buying Process, Step by Step
To help you choose the most suitable hearing aid, here’s a step-by-step guide for you:
- Get a hearing test. Hearing diagnostic tests are available at audiology clinics, ENT offices, and many retail hearing aid centres.
- Review your audiogram with a professional. Ask a qualified audiologist to explain your audiogram in plain terms — what frequencies you’re missing and how severe the loss is.
- Discuss device options that match your hearing loss, lifestyle, and budget.
- Ask about a trial period. Reputable hearing aid providers offer a convenient trial period to help you test the device in real life and return it if it’s not your fit.
- Get it fitted and programmed. Prescription devices are programmed and fine-tuned to your exact audiogram; this step matters a lot for comfort and effectiveness.
- Schedule a follow-up adjustment. Your first calibration session will rarely be the final one — expect at least one or two tweaks in the following weeks.
Final Words
We hope this hearing aid guide has helped you make an informed decision in choosing the most appropriate style and model. Summing up, smaller devices are generally more discreet but harder to handle and adjust, especially for people with dexterity or vision issues. Larger devices tend to have longer battery life and provide more powerful amplification, making them suitable for higher degrees of hearing loss.
Therefore, buying a hearing aid for the first time is not a single decision—it’s a process that needs careful consideration of factors like your hearing loss type and degree, lifestyle, dexterity levels, and budget. Hearing Plus recommends getting your hearing tested by a qualified professional to understand your options and enjoy a more comfortable listening experience.
