The numbers don’t lie: you might require hearing aids eventually. A quarter of individuals between 60 and 75, according to an NIDCD report, have hearing loss and for individuals over 75 this number increases to 50%. But how can you be certain which hearing aid is correct for you when you recognize it’s your best opportunity to combat loss of hearing? Advances in technology over the years have corrected some of the problems generally connected to hearing aids, such as an excessive amount of background noise and susceptibility to water damage. But to make sure your choice of hearing aid is correct for you, there are still things you need to think about.
Directionality is a Crucial Feature
Directionality is one key feature you should look for, which has the capability of keeping background noise down while focusing in on sound you want to hear including conversations. Most hearing aids have different directionality packages, which either focus in on the noise directly in front of you, the sound that’s coming from different speakers, or a combination of both.
Will Your Hearing Aid Connect With Your Phone?
It’s become apparent, we’re addicted to our cellphone as a nation. Even if you don’t have a smartphone, it’s likely you have an old-style cell phone. And for those few who don’t actually have a cell phone, you likely still have a land-line. So, how well hearing aid works with your phone is an essential consideration when you’re shopping for hearing aids. How does it sound? Do voices sound clear? Does it feel comfortable? Are there any Bluetooth connectivity options available? When shopping for new hearing aids, you should consider all of these.
Are You Inclined to Use it?
In the last few years, as mentioned above, the technology of hearing aids has vastly improved. One of those advances has been the size and shape of hearing aids, which have trended in the smaller and more comfortable direction. Still, there will always be some trade-offs. A more compact hearing aid might not be as powerful as a bigger one, so it really depends on your hearing specialist’s suggestion and what you want to accomplish with your hearing aid. You can get a hearing aid that fits right into your ear canal and is all but invisible, but it won’t have many of the features available in larger hearing aids and will be prone to earwax clogs. On the other hand, better directionality features and more sophisticated sound amplification options are available with a behind the ear hearing aid though it’s a little larger.
What Type of Background Sound Will You be Exposed to?
Wind noise has been an overwhelming difficulty for hearing aid users since they were developed. Being outside on a windy day with a traditional hearing aid used to mean that you couldn’t pick up anything but the wind, which is enough to drive anyone crazy. you live in a windy area or if you’re an outdoor kind of person so you’ll want to suppress wind noises with your hearing aid decision so that conversations won’t have that irritating wind howl. Searching for more information about how to pick the correct hearing aid? Give us a call.