This is a common question we get, generally from new hearing aid users. Our quick answer is yes, you can. However, it really does depend on the style of hearing aid you wear and what feels comfortable for you.
Bluetooth Hearing Aid Streaming
The first thing we would advise is that the vast majority of hearing aids allow you to connect to a device via Bluetooth and stream the sound directly into your ear. This totally removes the need for any type of headphones. This is the best solution in our opinion as taking headphones on and off can cause the hearing aids to be knocked. You may dislodge them and end up losing them or even damage them.
Over-the-ear Headphones
If you are truly insistent on wearing headphones rather than streaming sound via your hearing aids, there are certain styles we’d recommend for specific hearing aids. If you wear a hearing aid that sits behind your ear, the best headphone to wear would be one that goes over your ears. This style will allow the headphones to sit over your hearing aids creating the best listening experience and sound quality.
Wearing this type of headphone in years gone by may not have been possible as they could have caused feedback from the hearing aids. However, today’s newer aids usually do not have the same issue and the headphones can be worn comfortably. If you do find you are experiencing feedback, it might be worth trying a different style of headphone or using the streaming functionality on your hearing aids.
Bone Conduction Headphones
Hearing aids that sit inside the ear can be used with over-the-ear headphones as above, but also a good option is bone conduction headphones. Bone conduction headphones offer a higher level of comfort as they don’t go in or cover your ear.
Unlike the other types of headphone, bone conduction headphones don’t send sounds through the air. Instead, they convert audio signals into vibrations. This means that this type of listening completely misses out the eardrum. The sound vibration goes straight to the middle ear and stimulates the cochlea. The vibrations are then converted to electrical signals and sent to the brain where it processes them as sound.
Safe Listening
If you are intending to use headphones, it’s very important that you listen to sound at a safe level. This means limiting your listening of loud noise to 60 minutes per day and only go to 60% of the maximum volume. Following this rule will greatly help in reducing your risk of developing noise-induced hearing loss.
A lot of smart phones have settings that allow you to set a maximum volume for yourself. By doing this, you can ensure you never go over a safe listening level. All phones are different but if you go into the settings, there will be something about headphone safety levels.
If you would like any further advice, or to book yourself in for a hearing consultation, please give us a call.
