How to Find the Right Hearing Aid for you

When you realise it’s time to buy a hearing aid, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the huge amount of hearing aids on the market. Buying a hearing aid can be a confusing experience, so here are some tips on how to find the right hearing aid:

Find a good audiologist

Finding the person who will dispense and fit your hearing age is probably the most important decision you will make. Your audiologist will evaluate your hearing, and explain the complex concepts of each hearing aid, while giving you the information you need, and ideally still letting you make up your own mind.

Meet with more than one audiologist so you can decide if you like them and if their personality fits with you.

Decide on a brand

While there is no one right brand, the brand will depend on what’s right for you. Some audiologist and hearing aid wearers tend to get attached to a particular brand, but it’s always a good idea to learn about many different types of hearing aids so you can make an informed decision.

Be sure to ask your audiologist to show you a selection of Siemens hearing aids, as this is an incredibly popular brand.

Ask your audiologist which brands they prefer and why, and which brands are known for which technology.

Decide how much you want to spend

Hearing aids come in many different price points. It’s important to buy your aid based on how you plan to use it, and not how your hearing is now. If you’re planning to be using your hearing aid in a noisy environment, it makes sense to buy one that is a little more high-end, however if you spend a lot of time at home watching tv or have quiet conversations, you probably wont need a top of the line hearing aid.

Decide which features are important

It’s easy to be be seduced by the many different features available for hearing aids on the market today, but it’s important to remember that the main things that matter are noise suppression, fit, and sound quality, everything else is just the cherry on top of the cake.

It’s becoming increasingly popular to get hearing aids with Bluetooth lately, and these will continue to improve so keep an eye on the idea if you choose not to go with them initially.

Often first-time hearing aid wearers can be sensitive about people they know knowing they are having hearing problems, and want to get the smallest possible hearing aids.  Tiny hearing aids can sometimes have problems with moisture and wax though, and will also often require you to change the small batteries several times a week.

Try different earmoulds

Most people choose behind-the-ear hearing aids, as they’re often more comfortable and seem to break less often than in-the-air models. There are many different earmoulds available for these aids, including custom made moulds which are fitted to the shape of your ear canal, and will come in a large range of shapes and sizes and can be made from different kinds of soft or hard plastic.