How to Choose the Best Hearing Devices

You already came to terms with your hearing loss. Now comes the next step, choosing the best hearing device for you. You will need to consult your audiologist to find out what degree of hearing loss you have. The degrees are:

• Normal
• Slight
• Mild
• Moderate
• Moderate severe
• Severe
• Profound 

They range from -10 dB HL (decibels hearing level) to 91+ dB HL. Thanks to progress in technology, you do not need to worry that there will not be a hearing aid that will help you with your degree of hearing loss. 

Audiologist 

Your audiologist will help you through the process by telling you about the various types of hearing aids available and which ones will be the best fit for your communication needs and lifestyle. You don't need to worry about the fitment of the hearing aid or the programming because your audiologist will ensure that it is correctly fitted in your ear and that your listening needs are met. 

While choosing the best hearing device for you, ask yourself:

Is this the right size? Hearing aid devices come in various sizes. Make sure that you are comfortable with the size and you can handle it. It doesn't help you choose the smallest device, but you have difficulty taking it out. 

Is this the right fit? The hearing aid can either fit in or behind your ear. There are various styles to choose from.

ITE Hearing Aids

ITE (in-the-ear hearing aids) are almost invisible because they sit inside the ear canal. But this all depends on how much room there is in your auditory canal. If your hearing loss is mild to moderate, the ITE hearing aids will suit you best. The ITE hearing aid shells are custom-made to fit your ear. You can also choose the closest color to your skin tone when ordering your ITE hearing aid. This will help the device to blend in with the rest of your face.

BTE Hearing Aids

BTE (behind-the-ear hearing aids) fits either behind or on top of the outer ear. It has a tube that sends the sound into the ear canal through a custom fitter earmold. This earmold doesn't block the whole ear canal opening, although you need to change the earmold after a while because it will become hard. There are various sizes available, but you will love the designs and color options available, from the standard skin tone colors to metallics to even zebra stripes. This is where you can let your personality take reign. 

ITC Hearing Aids

ITC (in-the-canal hearing aids) is slightly bigger than some of the ITE hearing aids. They fit in the lower section of the outer ear bowl. They have a larger battery and, therefore, longer battery life than the smaller hearing aids. Not stopping at a larger battery, the ITC hearing aid also has more features than the smaller hearing aids. These features include a microphone and manual controls.