Hearing aid industry has developed different types of hearing aids, some people need to personally control their hearing aids while someexperienced wearers, still need either a volume control, multiple memory switch (quiet versus noisy situation switch) or a remote control in order to control volume or to access different hearing aid programs for handling different listening environments. Some people need control of their hearing aid for the following reasons: the automatic programmable feature does not meet their needs in 100% of listening situations; psychologically the hearing aid wearer simply must have control of their hearing aids; or they are long-term hearing aid wearers who are used to a volume control and are therefore unwilling to part with it through habit. (Usually happens with those who have used analog aids for long and are now suddenly fitted with digital programmable ones!!
Types of hearing -aids.
open fit, BTE, ITE ITC CIC
It is very important that the user determine his needs with respect to controlling the hearing aid. You don't want to fiddle with your hearing aids every ten minutes but then again you don't want to be frustrated because your hearing aids work well in most situations but not in 10% of your favorite situations (e.g. listening to soft music).
Sound Quality
One of the most important aspects of an enjoyable hearing aid experience is that you like the sound quality of hearing aids. So during hearing-aid trial, make sure that you consider the following
•Do you like the sound of your voice?
•Is the sound clean and crisp (sound clarity)?
•Is the sound too tiny?
•Does your hearing aid seem to plug up your ear and in fact muffle sound?
•Does it make some pleasant soft sound audible to you?
•Are loud sounds uncomfortable to you?
•Are your hearing aids natural-sounding?
•Does music sound pleasant and rich in texture?
•Does the world sound like you are in a barrel?
•Does your hearing aid whistle, buzz or squeal on its own?
With today's modern digital hearing aids, most of these problems should be solved. If you notice any of these problems during the trial and in your follow-up visits, by all means talk to your audiologist about these issues. Such professionals are capable of adjusting your hearing aids to your satisfaction. The extent to which all of the possible sound quality issues can be resolved is of course, dependent on the severity of your hearing loss. In other words, some types hearing losses (even some features like, if the audiogram is slopingor steeply aloping or reverse sloping etc) are simply more conducive to restoration of rich sound quality in many listening environments while others are not.
Cosmetic appeal???
A lot many people these days request for invisible aids!! (read Completely in the Canal ). One must know that CICs do not suit everyone. Most of the times the request for CIC is always cosmetically linked.
Its imperative that one should discuss the candidacy with ur audiologist. As far as cosmetics go even Behind The Ear (BTE) are available in various sizes and provide a better range of options for the fitting as well as budgets!!
Realistic expectations....
Be realistic. At times during Trail a relative accompanying the patient speaks to the client in a muffled voice in noisy background and expects the client to "hear normally". Many a times i ve to repeat the experiment on that 'normal hearing individual' to prove that even he cant hear it!!!!
Remember that it takes time to get used to hearing aids, especially if you're a new wearer. Keep in mind that background noise is almost always part of your environment, and adjustment to it is required. In time, you will tune out many of these everyday sounds. It's important not to become disappointed or frustrated while your brain begins to adjust to a whole new world of sound. If you're an experienced wearer trying new hearing aids, understand that they might not sound like your old ones. Before you reject them, allow your ears and the auditory system to adapt to these new sounds. Youing aids just might find that you like this new sound better than the old one. Keep in touch with your audiologist to get ur queries answered.
Regular follow-up.
This is important if ur hearing aids have to last long (usually 5yrs is optimum). This also helps in fine tunning the hearing aid based on ur requirements if its a digitally programmable one.
open fit, BTE, ITE ITC CIC
It is very important that the user determine his needs with respect to controlling the hearing aid. You don't want to fiddle with your hearing aids every ten minutes but then again you don't want to be frustrated because your hearing aids work well in most situations but not in 10% of your favorite situations (e.g. listening to soft music).
Sound Quality
One of the most important aspects of an enjoyable hearing aid experience is that you like the sound quality of hearing aids. So during hearing-aid trial, make sure that you consider the following
•Do you like the sound of your voice?
•Is the sound clean and crisp (sound clarity)?
•Is the sound too tiny?
•Does your hearing aid seem to plug up your ear and in fact muffle sound?
•Does it make some pleasant soft sound audible to you?
•Are loud sounds uncomfortable to you?
•Are your hearing aids natural-sounding?
•Does music sound pleasant and rich in texture?
•Does the world sound like you are in a barrel?
•Does your hearing aid whistle, buzz or squeal on its own?
do you have trouble listening in niose?
With today's modern digital hearing aids, most of these problems should be solved. If you notice any of these problems during the trial and in your follow-up visits, by all means talk to your audiologist about these issues. Such professionals are capable of adjusting your hearing aids to your satisfaction. The extent to which all of the possible sound quality issues can be resolved is of course, dependent on the severity of your hearing loss. In other words, some types hearing losses (even some features like, if the audiogram is slopingor steeply aloping or reverse sloping etc) are simply more conducive to restoration of rich sound quality in many listening environments while others are not.
Cosmetic appeal???
A lot many people these days request for invisible aids!! (read Completely in the Canal ). One must know that CICs do not suit everyone. Most of the times the request for CIC is always cosmetically linked.
Its imperative that one should discuss the candidacy with ur audiologist. As far as cosmetics go even Behind The Ear (BTE) are available in various sizes and provide a better range of options for the fitting as well as budgets!!
Realistic expectations....
Be realistic. At times during Trail a relative accompanying the patient speaks to the client in a muffled voice in noisy background and expects the client to "hear normally". Many a times i ve to repeat the experiment on that 'normal hearing individual' to prove that even he cant hear it!!!!
Remember that it takes time to get used to hearing aids, especially if you're a new wearer. Keep in mind that background noise is almost always part of your environment, and adjustment to it is required. In time, you will tune out many of these everyday sounds. It's important not to become disappointed or frustrated while your brain begins to adjust to a whole new world of sound. If you're an experienced wearer trying new hearing aids, understand that they might not sound like your old ones. Before you reject them, allow your ears and the auditory system to adapt to these new sounds. Youing aids just might find that you like this new sound better than the old one. Keep in touch with your audiologist to get ur queries answered.
Regular follow-up.
This is important if ur hearing aids have to last long (usually 5yrs is optimum). This also helps in fine tunning the hearing aid based on ur requirements if its a digitally programmable one.
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