4 Factors to Consider When Selecting Hearing Aids

Your hearing health professional has told you that a hearing aid will greatly improve your hearing. But where do you start when it comes to selecting the perfect one for you? The right hearing aid will be with you for a number of years, so taking the time at the outset to make the right decision is worth it. 

Between you and your hearing health professional, you must both take certain factors into account when you’re considering your options. 

Here are four things to consider when selecting a hearing aid for your hearing loss. 

The Extent of Hearing Loss

Before recommending a particular type and style of hearing aid, your hearing health professional will conduct a hearing test to accurately determine your current level of hearing loss. 

If your hearing loss is severe, then some types of hearing aid may not be suitable for you. Conversely, if you have only mild hearing loss, then you may have more options when it comes to the types of hearing aids you can choose. You’ll need to have regular hearing tests so that your hearing aid can be adjusted if necessary. 

Your Lifestyle

How do you spend your time? Do you work in an office, or spend a lot of time at sports matches or clubs? Your lifestyle and levels of social engagement may require you to have a hearing aid with advanced features. For example, if you work and need to spend a lot of time on your smartphone, then a Bluetooth enabled hearing aid will be preferable for you. 

If you’re constantly moving between different environments then you might want a hearing aid that automatically adjusts to different situations rather than you having to do it manually. 

Your Preferred Style and Comfort Level

You’re going to be wearing your hearing aids a lot, so you want to feel confident in them. Some styles of hearing aids are much more discreet and fit inside the ear. They can be color matched to your skin tone or you could opt for a bolder shade really stand out. 

Features Required

Hearing aid technology is very advanced and can add a lot of great features to your hearing aid. These can really make a difference to your everyday life. Common features include:

• Additional microphones: For better sound pick-up
• Tinnitus noise suppression: As part of your tinnitus treatment
• Feedback reduction: To reduce unwanted noise and interference
• Telecoil: To integrate with hearing loops and telecoil systems
• Bluetooth connectivity: To connect to your smartphone, laptop, MP3 or TV
• Speech clarity: To enhance speech above other sounds
• Personalized settings: No need to constantly adjust setting in different surroundings

Selecting the right hearing aid for your needs is important to be able to get the most out of it. Don’t worry if you aren’t very familiar with hearing aids, their styes and how they work. Your hearing health professional will work with you to find the best hearing aid for your needs and lifestyle, and before you know it you’ll be wondering why you didn’t do it sooner.