Deciding to go ahead with hearing aids can be a tricky decision. Once you have made that decision, you don’t need any more stress by getting confused as to which hearing aids to go for. To make your decision as easy as possible, we have compiled some things for you to think about when choosing your hearing aids.
Obviously the first thing you need to establish with your Audiologist is your level of hearing loss. They will do this by carrying out a hearing test with you and discussing your results. Your hearing loss will determine the level of technology you require and potentially the type of hearing aid you can go for.
Go out or stay in?
You need to think about if you are the kind of person who prefers a night out at a restaurant or if you are more likely to stay home and catch up on your favourite programme. If you’re the kind of person who is more inclined to be out and about often in social situations, you’ll be exposed to lots of background noise so we would recommend choosing an aid that reduces background noise and enhances speech. If you are more likely to spend more time at home where it will be more quiet, this is perhaps not as important.
Do you want to stream your TV / music direct to your ear?
If you have a smartphone, it is highly likely that you’ll want to go for aids with Bluetooth that are made for connectivity. Most hearing aids today offer this function as standard and will allow you to stream straight into you ear; whether that is a TV programme, a phone call or a podcast.
Are you a competent smartphone user?
If you use your smartphone competently, you may wish to go for hearing aids that you can control from your phone. You can personalise your listening experience through artificial intelligence and can even track your activity level. If you enjoy using your smartphone, we would absolutely recommend getting hearing aids that work alongside your phone so you can maximise your listening experience.
Are soft sounds tricky for you?
Generally speaking, loud sounds are not difficult for any of us to hear, but softer sounds like birds chirping or the newspaper rustling can be more tricky for those with hearing loss. If you feel you often miss these kinds of sounds, you should definitely look for a hearing aid that will enhance these soft, ambient sounds. Your Audiologist can advise you of this.
Do you still work?
If you are still working, you will need to take your work environment into account. A construction site is obviously very different to a quiet office. You will need to talk to your Audiologist about the level of noise you experience day to day and whether there will be a lot of background noise.
Where do I need to hear best?
You will need to think about the things you like to do in your every day life; do you play a lot of sport, go to large religious services or host large parties? Whatever the most important moments are in your life, you can chose a hearing aid that will suit them best. There are also obviously some hearing aids that can pretty much do it all!
We are always here to answer any queries you may have when deciding which hearing aids to chose.
