Tips to help choose the right hearing aid

When choosing a digital hearing aid, you should consult with a specialist on which functionality and options a particular model offers, and how it differs from other models.

When choosing a hearing aid, number of physical factors should be considered:

The type and extent of hearing loss, the structure of the ear – depending on the type and extent of hearing loss, peculiarities of the structure of the external ear (or absence thereof), an intra-aural, behind-the-ear or pocket hearing aid will be chosen.

Should one or two aids be used? If you suffer from hearing loss in both ears, you must use two hearing aids. This is not required to double the volume, but because by simulating the natural hearing process the dual hearing aids will enable you to better determine where the sound originates from. They will also help avoid a condition known as “auditory deprivation,” when the ear becomes “lazy” due to the lack of stimulation.

There is a number of individual factors to be taken into consideration when choosing the hearing aid:

The need for intercommunication. Define those situations when you would like to improve your hearing. What would you like to achieve at work or at home? The information of your needs will help the specialist select the solution that would be suitable for you.

The external appearance (cosmesis). There are hearing aids of different sizes. The smaller a hearing aid is, the smaller its control devices and batteries are. There are bright colored hearing aids for children.

The price. There are hearing aids of different price ranges. They have different functionalities and available options.

The sound quality. A digital hearing aid is based on a high performance computer chip to ensure the highest sound quality. Owing to the broad functionality of Oticon hearing aids, users can enjoy a comfortable and natural perception of speech and environmental sounds.

To assess the quality of how well the patient was fitted with hearing aids, the following experiences are evaluated:

compensation of the impaired perception of the volume and frequency of sounds;

adequate voice intelligibility in various real world situations (in silence, in a noisy environment, during a group discussion, etc.);

natural perception of sounds (speech, own voice, music, environmental sounds);

an adequate localization of sounds (in case of double–sided deafness, fitting with dual heaing aids is required);

no feedback (hissing noise).

The audioprosthetists from the audiology department SATR Center will help select the hearing aid depending on the user’s hearing needs and expectations. The price of the services rendered to the patient includes the cost of the hearing aid, selection and setting up, and manufacturing of a custom mold. The tuning up process is not only the initial setup of the device during your first visit, but the entire tuning up, including the adaptation period. The standard warranty period for the hearing aid is one year.

Audiometric evaluation is free, if the patient purchases a hearing aid. However, the Center charges for this service, if the patient simply wishes to have their hearing evaluated. A detailed operation manual is always provided along with the purchased hearing aid. SATR Center performs warranty and post-warranty repair of hearing aids.

The time required for the patient to become comfortable with and adapt to the hearing aids can be quite long and varies between several days and several months. The duration of the adaptation period depends on a number of factors, such as the patient’s age, the body’s individual adaptive capabilities, previous experience with hearing aids, as well as the time passed since the patient has acquired hearing loss to the day of deciding to get fitted. It is more difficult for babies and the elderly to adapt to a new hearing aid. The sooner the person is fitted after their loss of hearing, the more effect fitting will have, and the faster and easier the adaptation will be.

For the habilitation and rehabilitation of children fitted with hearing aids to be successful, sessions with the education audiologist are a must. During such sessions with a child, the audiologist can also evaluate if the hearing aids are tuned up properly and advise the audioprosthetist accordingly.