If you’ve ever walked down the cereal aisle at the Woodinville Haggen trying to figure out which box to grab, you will understand how choosing between products that at first seem similar can be so challenging. When choosing a cereal, you have to figure out what your taste is right now as well as what it will be in a few weeks; you also have to consider what additional extras like whole grains or vitamin D your body needs.
Unlike cereal, your hearing aid selection is an important medical decision that should not be taken lightly. Below is a breakdown of how to select the right hearing aid for your needs.
Your Type and Degree of Hearing Loss
In order to recommend a hearing aid style, your audiologist will first need to know your exact degree of hearing loss. This is done through a hearing evaluation. You will be given any or all of the following tests:
- Pure tone testing.
- Bone conduction testing.
- Speech testing.
- Tympanometry.
- Acoustic reflex testing.
Once the results are in, your audiologist will use this information to craft a customized treatment plan. Since some models of hearing aids are better for certain degrees of hearing loss, this step is crucial.
Your Lifestyle Needs
Hearing aids can be as powerful or as simple as you want or need them to be. Understanding your lifestyle needs can help you determine what level of technology is right for you.
Those who spend most of their time out and about going to meetings and events are putting themselves into complex listening situations with extensive background noise. They will need the highest level of technology in order to help distinguish speech from other sounds.
If you spend your time in smaller groups or quiet settings like your home or the hiking trails, the level of technology you need will be lower.
Your Hearing Wish List
The only way your audiologist can help you select a hearing aid that’s right for you is by being honest about what you want out of your device.
If you want to improve your experience talking on the phone or watching television, your audiologist will recommend a hearing aid with Bluetooth™ connectivity that allows you to wirelessly connect to various devices. If you enjoy live music, your audiologist will make sure their hearing aid selection includes an advanced feature that helps improve music clarity. To learn more about which hearing aid is right for you or to schedule an appointment with an experienced audiologist, contact Hearing Advancement Center.
