Common sense and a commitment to taking charge of your own hearing health are the first things you’ll need when you set out to buy a hearing aid. An investment in a good hearing aid is really an investment in your health, so spend whatever time and money you can afford to get the solution that works best for you.
And plan on investing some real time on your research. If you ask the right questions and give yourself time to shop around, you will find the best solution out there for you at the best price.
Beyond those initial bits of advice, here are ten steps to take that will move you along the path to better hearing.
-
Acknowledge That You Need Some Help
If you really haven’t accepted the fact that you are having trouble hearing and are only shopping for some hearing assistance to placate your spouse or your children, you will probably not solve your problem. The first step is to take an honest look at how much trouble you are having and make a decision to take control of your own hearing health and proactively get whatever help you may need.
-
See a Doctor, Then a Hearing Health Professional
The first stop should be your family doctor who can do a preliminary screening and who should then be ready to refer you either to a ear-nose-and-throat specialist (ENT) or to an audiologist. NOTE: many MD’s do not spend a lot of time thinking or worrying about hearing loss. If yours doesn’t you should insist that he or she pay attention to your concerns and direct you to a specialist
-
Get an Accurate Assessment of the Kind of Amplification You Need
The hearing professional will test your hearing and map the frequencies where you need amplification. The most typical form of hearing loss is sensorineural hearing loss, where your hearing nerves start to lose their ability to discern sounds, most often starting with the higher frequencies. This kind of hearing loss is often progressive, getting worse with age, and irreversible. The good news, though, is that for mild or moderate hearing loss (which is the vast majority of cases), hearing aids are very effective.
-
Research All the Hearing Aid Options, Then Narrow Them Down
A site like Hearing Products News will give you an overview of the range of products out there that you can consider. Then click through to the vendors’ web sites and look carefully at what they are offering.
-
Consider a “Starter Hearing Aid”
For very moderate hearing loss, you can consider a Personal Sound Amplification Product (PSAP) which you can purchase directly over the internet for a few hundred dollars. These products aren’t programmable and offer a limited range of options, but for mild hearing loss can be effective. Or, you can consider an “over the counter” hearing aid, programmed to your audiogram’s specifications by the manufacturer and purchased over the internet. These, too are less expensive than hearing aids purchased from an audiologist. They are more limited in functionality but can be a good place to start your journey to hearing health.
-
OR, Go Straight to an Audiologist or Licensed Hearing Aid Dispenser
Even with mild hearing loss, and especially for moderate or severe loss, it’s a good idea to go straight to an audiologist or hearing aid dispenser who will fit you with a custom hearing aid and work with you until you are happy with it. To find an audiologist, look on the links on Hearing Products News, look on the web, and look in your local directories. Or you can visit Costco, Walmart or one of the other retail stores that have hearing-aid departments staffed with trained professionals. Make sure to check on the credentials of the hearing professional you visit. An audiologist has an advanced degree in hearing health management and hearing aid dispensers should have a certificate from the state showing they have completed the requisite training to test for hearing loss, fit hearing aids, and deliver other hearing health care services.
-
Choose a Product
Your hearing service provider should provide you with a range of hearing aid options — in the ear, behind the ear, “invisible” in the ear — and prices. Ideally you will get a choice not only of multiple models and styles but also several brands. Ask which brands the audiologist or hearing aid dispenser sells, then research the reputation of the manufacturer behind the product. Don’t be afraid to ask to try different styles and models until you’re satisfied you’ve found the one that suits you best.
-
Follow Up, Follow Through
Make sure there is at least a 30-day return policy if you aren’t satisfied with the hearing aids. Also, ask how many follow-up visits come with the purchase — often multiple programming tweaks make all the difference in getting a fit that works for you. Most audiologists and hearing aid dispensers include programming and follow-up service as part of a single bundled price for the purchase of hearing aids, but some levy separate charges for products and services. Just make sure you know what the total cost will be. And then take advantage of the follow-up visits. You’ll be glad you did when a slight programming change leads to major improvement in your hearing.
-
Ask About Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs)
Most hearing aid manufacturers now are providing additional products to make hearing easier in different situations, including Bluetooth streaming of your cellphone signal and even your TV audio directly into your hearing aids. There are also plenty of services to improve your landline telephone signal. Ask about these assistive listening products — they can greatly enhance the success you have with your hearing aids.
-
Wash, Rinse, Repeat
If your hearing loss is age related, you can expect some ongoing decline. So, just as you should get your eyes checked with a prescription for your glasses or contact lenses updated occasionally, you should get your hearing tested on a regular basis and have your hearing aids reprogrammed if you need more amplification. Because hearing-aid technology has been progressing along with all other digital technologies, it’s helpful to stay up on the new products that are coming out every year. Don’t be surprised if your first pair of hearing aids start to seem outdated after a couple of years, and you start to get excited about improvements with the next generation of products coming out. If you’re the type of person who leases your car and gets a new model every three years, you’ll be happy to know hearing aid manufacturers come up with some nice new designs with new bells and whistles every two or three years as well.
Finally, keep in front of your mind the phrase “caveat emptor”–Latin for “buyer beware.” It’s very easy to be hurried into making a bad decision.
Audiologists and licensed hearing aid dispensers are for the most part committed to your hearing health. You should expect them to look at you as a patient with a problem to solve rather than a customer with some money to spend. But they are people, too, hustling to make a living, and as with any barrel of apples, there’s always a chance one of them may be rotten. So interview your hearing health professional the way you would interview a pediatrician you are choosing for your child.
- Click here to find a qualified hearing health professional near you.
- Click here to learn more about hearing tests and audiograms.
- Click here to find out about types of hearing loss.
- Click here to find out about causes of hearing loss.
- Click here for information on tinnitus and other noises in your ears.
- Click here to learn about cochlear implants and other surgical solutions.