How to Select the Right Hearing Aids

Congratulations! If you’ve recently been prescribed hearing aids to treat your hearing loss, you are well on your way toward better hearing health – and overall health. At Advanced Tech Hearing Centers, we understand that hearing is a personal experience. The process of fitting and customizing a hearing aid to meet your needs is a priority for us. We use results from your audiogram and the information you’ve provided us about your lifestyle to determine the best hearing aids for your specific hearing needs.

Of course, your preferences and needs play a huge role in the hearing aids that are best for you! As you begin this journey toward better hearing, choosing a hearing aid may seem daunting. Here are some factors to consider when selecting the right hearing aid for you.

Hearing Aid Basics

In recent years, hearing aids have undergone a huge advancement in technology. These days, hearing aids are not unlike mini-computers. They are sensitive, sophisticated electronic devices that amplify sounds and deliver clear signals to your brain to be processed. Regardless of the size, model, and style, all hearing aids share a number of common features with the singular purpose to help you hear better.

All hearing aids consist of a microphone, microchip, amplifier, battery, and receiver. The configuration of these elements differ depending on the hearing aid style. Hearing aids mirror the process of your ears: the microphone picks up sound, the microchip analyzes and processes these sounds into clearer signals, which are then amplified.

Hearing aids come in two main styles. Depending on the configuration and degree of your hearing loss, as well as your lifestyle needs and aesthetic preferences, we will help you select the best style for you.

In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids are worn on the surface of the ear as a full or half shell. More discreet styles of ITE hearing aids include completely-in-canal or invisible-in-canal, both of which are inserted deep in the ear canal and are not visible. ITE hearing aids are excellent for people who wear glasses, but the small controls may be difficult for people who experience dexterity issues.

Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids have the electrical components of the device housed in a plastic casing that is worn over the ear. A plastic tube delivers sounds to your ear. Receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids are similar in appearance to BTE hearing aids, except that the receiver sits in the canal, connected by a wire covered in plastic. BTE hearing aids treat a wider range of degrees of hearing loss, but due to their wearing style, they may not be a top choice for eye-glasses wearers.

Based on the configuration of your hearing loss, we at Advanced Tech Hearing Centers will recommend hearing aids with features to meet your needs. Generally speaking, hearing aids are equipped with many different features to address the various aspects of hearing loss.

Hearing aids offer features such as improved speech recognition, noise cancellation, speech in noisy environments, feedback cancellation, music enhancement features, and wireless connectivity. Some hearing aids are equipped with Bluetooth, to connect to your smartphones or personal electronic devices. These give you the option of streaming phone calls, music, and other media directly from your devices to your hearing aids.

Battery life is another major hearing aid feature to consider. If you lead an active lifestyle and plan to be out of the house for long periods of time, perhaps a hearing aid with a longer battery life would suit you better. Additionally, if you’re in noisier environments for hours at a time, a longer battery life would be necessary, as the hearing aid would be processing more audio information than in quiet settings.

At Advanced Tech Hearing Centers, we will support you through every step of the process as you are fitted for your new hearing aids. Contact us today to schedule a fitting.