If you are looking into hearing aids, you have probably noticed a change in your hearing. Hearing aids can significantly improve your quality of life. Hearing aids today are micro that significantly increase and amplify the frequencies of sound you hear. However, with so many different types available, knowing which one to pick can be daunting. Here, we look at some of the things to think about to help you pick the best hearing aid for you.

Speak to a Hearing Health Professional

Prior to purchasing hearing aids, you should have a comprehensive hearing exam. You will want to see a hearing specialist who will examine your ears and administers numerous hearing tests. He or she can then assess the reasons for your hearing loss and ascertain the best way to improve it, as well as provide guidance and advice.

Find Out as Much as Possible About the Different Types of Hearing Aids

There are several types of hearing aids, each with its own set of advantages. The main ones to think about are in the ear (ITE), behind the ear (BTE), in the canal (ITC) and invisible in canal (IIC). An IIC and ITC are tiny and sits inside the ear canal. As the name suggests, it is pretty much invisible and cannot be seen. ITE styles sit inside your outer bowl and have more features because they are larger.

The most prevalent type of hearing aid is the BTE, which sits behind the ear and has a tube that runs over the top of the ear. A microphone is attached to the end of the tube and is inserted into the ear canal. Each style has advantages, and your hearing care professional can go over them with you.

Consider Your Lifestyle

These various styles of hearing aids have a range of features that may benefit your lifestyle. These features include directional microphones, fully automated volume controls, feedback and noise reductions and long-lasting batteries. Bluetooth connectivity, wireless streaming to connect to phones and digital music players and other features that can help with work or leisure activities are available.

If you have issues with dexterity, such as finding it hard to grasp small objects, you may want to bear this in mind when choosing your hearing aid device. You need to be able to take them out and put them in without dropping them, change the batteries and adjust any manual controls. For these situations, a behind-the-ear device is possibly the best choice. Again, your hearing healthcare professional will be able to talk you through the options available and help you to make the right choice for you and your needs.

The visibility of the hearing aid is also important to many people. While they are nothing to be embarrassed about, some people would rather they be less noticeable to other people. If this is the case, an invisible-in-canal or in-the-canal hearing aid is worth taking a look at. 

It is important to weigh up the pros and cons of each type of hearing aid device before settling on one and take advice from your hearing specialist.