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What Are Signs That I May Need Hearing Aids?

Whether or not you might be suffering from hearing loss will mostly be self-evident in your everyday life. If you find in conversations that you feel others are talking too softly, while they claim to be talking at a normal volume, your hearing may be the culprit. If others point out that you put the television or your music at a higher volume than normal, it may be a sign that your hearing ability is not at a normal level. Additionally, general difficulty hearing on the phone or in group settings is a sign that your ear is having difficulty filtering useful noise versus background noise. With that said, it's important to get your hearing evaluated to examine for issues. You may have a very correctable problem, especially if the problem is recent.

How Do Hearing Aids Help My Hearing Ability?

Unlike glasses, which can effectively give you 20/20 vision again, hearing aids are aptly named as they are just an aid. Depending on the nature of your hearing loss, your board certified hearing specialist or audiologist will prescribe hearing aids that are dialed in to hear a certain range of pitch or frequencies that you have trouble picking up. With that in mind, your hearing aid is not able to filter noise as intelligently as your ears naturally should be able to do. As a result, you may still have trouble hearing people speaking to you in crowded areas. If your hearing loss is significant, you may still need to rely on others to help you with your ability to hear by focusing on their face, speaking clearly, and rephrasing previous statements if you're unable to process certain phrases.

Types of Hearing Aids

There are a variety of different hearing aids to aid you with hearing loss, while giving you a look you're comfortable with. Generally, the smaller the hearing aid, the less effective it is at capturing a large range of sounds. Your board certified hearing specialist or audiologist will help you weigh the pros and cons of various styles.

CIC (completely in canal) aids are the least visible, have shorter battery life, but is less likely to receive interference from the environment such as the wind. ITC (in the canal) only partially goes into the canal and includes additional quality of life features. In the ear aids are the typically shell hearing aids you may think of and include two directional microphones for mild to severe hearing loss. They're larger, easier to control, and have a much longer battery life. Finally, behind the ear aids hook over the entire ear while a custom earpiece goes into the ear canal. They're the most secure as they are the largest and are connected around the ear, but are the largest and not the most ideal for someone looking for a sleek, discrete look.

Repairs and Adjustments Provided

Hearing aids are not the most affordable investment, but you can't really put a price on your ability to hear. With that in mind, your hearing aids will require maintenance and adjustments over time, whether it be a result of wax blockages or changes in your hearing. If you find that your hearing aid is not functioning as well as intended, or if you experience other technical malfunctions, HEARt Ear Boutique can help you restore your hearing aids to normal function.