3 Factors to Consider When Selecting Hearing Aids

hearing loss patient selecting hearing aids with her specialist

When you are on the lookout for a new hearing aid, there are a lot of things to consider. Whether you are getting your first hearing aid or a replacement, you need to make sure that you are choosing appropriately, as it is going to be with you for a long time. It is always important to speak to an audiologist during this process, to ensure that you are much more likely to make the right choice. At the same time, you might want to consider these three factors when selecting hearing aids too.

Lifestyle

One of the most important factors in all of this is your lifestyle, which can be hard to step back from and gain perspective of for many people but is nonetheless hugely important to look into. Your lifestyle will include many factors that are going to prove relevant here – for instance, how active you tend to be and whether you usually engage activities such as swimming. All of this will need to be taken into consideration, to ensure that you get the right hearing aid for your needs. As long as your hearing aid suits your lifestyle, that is a good option.

Appearance

For most people, the way that a hearing aid looks is important – and the way that it makes the wearer look too. Some people are more concerned than others about the hearing aid not being visible, while some don’t care too much about that. You might want a hearing aid that matches your skin tone, hair color or you might not worry about that either. It’s entirely up to you, but in any case, appearance is something that you are going to need to spend time thinking about if you are keen to choose the right hearing aid.

Style and Features

There are a few major types and styles of hearing aid, and it’s good to be aware of them to make sure you make the right choice for yourself. For some people, behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid is best, as it can match into a person’s appearance easily. For others, the preference might be in the ear (ITE) or in the canal (ITC). It’s all about what seems to be right for the individual, so make sure you are discussing this with your audiologist as necessary.

As well as the overall style, there are a range of possible features that you might want your hearing aid to have. You might feel that Bluetooth connectivity is essential or if you have tinnitus then the reduction is likely to be important for you. There are also features relating to keeping out background noise and reducing feedback, which can help to make the hearing aid a lot better for you.

In all of this, what matters is that you are getting the hearing aid that’s right for you. One way to make absolutely sure of that is to get in touch with an audiologist, who can help you along the way.

For more information on how Byron’s Hudson Valley Hearing Aid Center can help address your hearing loss, give our office a call at (845) 481-9267.