How to Buy Hearing Aids

Hearing aids are an essential device for those with hearing loss. It’s one of the best ways to restore your hearing and continue communicating with those around you. However, choosing the right hearing aids to suit your lifestyle, hearing loss and budget needs can be challenging on your own. This is why it is always recommended you purchase your hearing aids with the help of an audiologist in your area.

Where to buy hearing aids

While it is possible to purchase a hearing aid without help from an audiologist, it’s not recommended because of all the counseling and customization you will miss out on. There are many considerations when it comes to picking a hearing aid, so it’s vital you consult an audiologist to make sure you get the right solution for you.

This also means you can receive assistance with repairs and maintenance from your audiologist instead of trying to go through the manufacturer.

Getting a checkup

Before buying any hearing aids, it’s vital that you speak to your audiologist to see how your hearing loss has progressed. Once your audiologist has determined your level of hearing loss, they can fine-tune your hearing aids to suit your level of hearing loss. Your checkup shouldn’t take more than an hour and will reveal a lot of information about your current hearing situation. In some cases, you might not need hearing aids and there could be another condition affecting you, such as impacted earwax or an ear infection.

Choosing a hearing aid style

Next, you’ll want to choose a hearing aid style that suits your lifestyle. For example, if you need long battery life because you plan to use it all day, then a larger behind-the-ear (BTE) style hearing aid is more suitable for your needs. If you prefer something a little more discreet, then in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids may be more preferable.

Smaller hearing aids may also be challenging to use if you have limited dexterity. The buttons may be too small and you might find that losing your hearing aids is a possibility. Larger hearing aids tend to be harder to lose and more durable should they be accidentally dropped. Maintenance might also be an issue as hearing aids do require cleaning, but your audiologist will likely be able to help you clean your hearing aids during regular checkup sessions.

When speaking to your audiologist, ask them to show you the many different styles of hearing aid so that you get a good idea of what’s available on the market. Your audiologist will likely have a wide range of different hearing aids, each of them varying in terms of battery life, portability and usability.

Picking additional features

There are also a number of other features that can enhance your experience with hearing aids. For example, more advanced hearing aids may have wireless connectivity options, or there might be support for remote controls via your smartphone.

When buying hearing aids from your audiologist, make sure you ask them about modern features such as wireless connectivity and noise reduction. These are important features to help you adapt to your hearing aids, especially in the modern day where smartphone use is very common.

Deciding on future needs

Hearing loss can change over time. In some cases, it can actually improve depending on the cause of your hearing loss. This means it’s important to have regular checkups with your audiologist to ensure that your hearing aids are still working correctly and providing you with the right level of amplification at the right frequencies.

Hearing aids are a long-term investment, so it’s important to ask for a trial period so that you know that the hearing aids are right for you. You may also want to ask your audiologist about warranty coverage in the event that your hearing aids are lost or break.

Choosing an audiologist

Finding an audiologist isn’t a difficult task. You can look online for a local professional and even read reviews from patients that have already visited the office.

However, if you’d like to speak to a professional audiologist straight away, then get in touch Affordable Audiology and Hearing Service at (920) 267-5220. You’ll be put through to one of our friendly advisors who can give you more advice on hearing aids and book you in for a consultation with one of our experienced audiologists. From there, we can guide you on how to choose the right hearing aid and ensure that it fits correctly.