Did you know that there are almost 50 million Americans dealing with some form of hearing loss at the moment? Yet, despite this, there are also nearly 30 million people who refuse to do anything about it.
They could very easily invest in one of the best hearing aids on the market and regain at least some of their hearing. But for whatever reason, they refuse to do it, and their hearing continues to suffer as a result of it.
Don’t be like these people!
Instead, make an appointment with your ear doctor to see what could be causing you to experience hearing loss. And then, consider purchasing hearing aids that will allow you to hear significantly better than you do now.
Here is how to choose the best hearing aids for your specific needs.
Start by Speaking With an Audiologist About Your Hearing
Just how bad is your hearing?
That’s one of the many questions you’re going to need to answer before you purchase one of the best hearing aids. If you don’t answer it, you could end up with a hearing aid that doesn’t actually address your hearing problem.
Schedule an appointment with a reputable audiologist in your area. Look for someone who has plenty of experience in the field and lots of positive reviews from past and current patients.
Determine If You Could Benefit From Hearing Aids
During your appointment with your audiologist, they will perform a series of tests involving your hearing. These tests will tell them everything they need to know about how bad your hearing actually is.
Once they have the results of your tests, they can either recommend hearing aids to you or tell you that hearing aids aren’t going to make much of a difference for you. They may also find some other ear issue that needs to be addressed before you consider using hearing aids.
Whatever the case, it’s important for you to get yourself and your hearing checked out prior to buying hearing aids.
Learn About the Different Types of Hearing Aids
If your audiologist ultimately decides that you could benefit from using hearing aids, you’ll need to move on to learning about some of the different types of hearing aids available today.
There are many people who are under the impression that all hearing aids are more or less the same. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Here are several types of hearing aids:
- Completely in the canal, or CNC, hearing aids that are specially molded to fit all the way inside of your ears
- In the canal, or ITC, hearing aids that are customized to fit partially inside of your ears
- In the ear, or IE, hearing aids that are custom made to fit on the inside of your outer ears
- Behind the ear, or BTE, hearing aids that feature a hook that wraps around the top of your ears
You may also have the option of choosing receiver in canal (RIC) or receiver in the ear (RITE) hearing aids as well as open fit hearing aids. The different hearing aids provide different levels of comfort and performance for those with hearing loss.
By learning about each type of hearing aid, you can narrow down your choices and find the type that’ll work best for you.
Educate Yourself About the Best Hearing Aid Brands
In addition to learning about the types of hearing aids, you should also familiarize yourself with the best hearing aid brands out there. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the brands if you don’t know what sets them apart.
Some brands you should definitely check out include:
- Oticon
- Phonak
- GN ReSound
If you’d like to start learning about those brands, click for more information on what makes each of them special.
Think About Which Features You Want Hearing Aids to Have
Outside of there being different types of hearing aids and different hearing aid brands, there is also a whole slew of features that can be included in hearing aids. Some of those features will come standard in certain hearing aids and not others.
Because of this, you should put together a list of the features that you want out of your hearing aids. Your audiologist might be able to help you out when you start sifting through the features to see which ones you want.
Some of the most common hearing aid features are:
- Noise reduction
- Rechargeable batteries
- Wireless connectivity
- Remote controls
- Telecoils
- And more
The hearing aids that are available now are nothing like the hearing aids that were available even just a decade ago. So before you choose what you think are the best hearing aids, make sure you dig deep into what features they have.
Find Out Which Hearing Aids Come With a Warranty
Just about every reputable hearing aid manufacturer offers some kind of warranty on the hearing aids they sell. If they don’t, you should run and run fast in the direction of a different manufacturer.
But obviously, all the warranties offered by hearing aid makers are going to be a little bit different. Some will extend for longer periods of time than others.
Look for a warranty that will cover your hearing aids and their various parts for at least one year. If you’re able to find a warranty that lasts longer than that, consider it a welcome bonus.
Make Sure Hearing Aids Will Work for You in the Future
The hearing aids that you buy now might work for you today. But will they still work for you in a year or two if your hearing gets worse?
Your audiologist should give you some indication of how long it’ll be before your hearing gets worse than it is right now. Use that information to find a hearing aid that you can grow into over time.
There is no sense in purchasing hearing aids that will need to be replaced before long. You want to be able to find hearing aids you can adjust to fit your needs well into the future.
Try On a Few Hearing Aids, If Possible
At this point, you should be very close to choosing the right hearing aids for your situation. You should have your search narrowed down to just a few of the best hearing aids you’ve seen so far.
If you can swing it, attempt to try on a few of the hearing aids that you like the most prior to purchasing them. Or at the very least, check to see if any of the hearing aids you like come with a trial period.
The last thing you want to do is buy hearing aids that you think you love only to find out that they’re not comfortable to wear all the time.
Consider the Cost Associated With Hearing Aids
Is your insurance company going to be footing the bill for your hearing aids? If so, the cost of them might not be a huge concern for you.
But if you’re paying for hearing aids out of pocket, you could pay upwards of $2,700 on average. And in some cases, the very best hearing aids could cost more than $5,000.
Before you go and fall in love with any of the hearing aids you see, consider the cost of them and see if they fit into your budget. You don’t want to find the perfect hearing aids only to discover that there is no way you can afford them.
At the same time, don’t just pick out the cheapest hearing aids you can find and assume they’ll get the job done for you. You might hate them and spend a bunch of money on them, only to have them sit at home on your dresser.
Pick the Hearing Aid You Like Best
After working your way through all these steps, you should have your sights set on a specific set of hearing aids. They fit well, they help you hear better, and they work within your current budget.
As long as they check all your boxes, feel free to select them and take them home with you. And of course, make sure you start wearing them right away. You’ll notice a big difference in your hearing and reap the rewards of using hearing aids on a daily basis.
Purchase the Best Hearing Aids Today
When you first start your search for the best hearing aids, you might be completely overwhelmed and confused. You’ll hear abbreviations like “CNC” and “BTE” get thrown around and have no idea what they mean.
But once you settle in and gain an understanding of hearing aids, you’ll be able to eliminate a lot of your options quickly. You’ll also be able to identify the different types of hearing aids that would provide you with benefits.
Just make sure you take good care of your hearing aids once you start using them. They’re a big investment and need to be treated properly to extend their lifespan.
Do you need a hand locating an audiologist or another kind of doctor to get the process going? Check out our blog to get access to some tips.