What to look for when choosing a hearing aid or accessory

2020-08-10

With so many hearing solutions on the market, choosing the right one for you can sometimes feel overwhelming. Our hearing professionals will be able to help you, but there are many things you will need to consider before making your investment, be it a hearing aid or a hearing accessory. 

Hearing Aids

Hearing aids vary a great deal in price, size, special features and the way in which they are placed in your ear. You will need to think about a variety of factors when deciding which solution is best for you. The most important factor is your lifestyle, but you’ll also need to think about your level of hearing loss, the appearance and your budget.

Have a think about the specific situations where you would most like to feel the benefit from your hearing aid. It might be that you'd like to be able to hear better when socialising or going to the theatre. Certain designs of hearing aid have special features to filter out many background noises, leaving you to focus on the important stuff.

Don't just think about your current needs. Your hearing may change in the future so find out if the device you are considering is capable of increasing power. The ability to adjust to your changing needs means you may not need to pay for new devices into the future.

Importantly, think about the physical appearance of the device. You need to feel comfortable wearing your hearing aid. While lots of people opt for discreet devices, some decide to make theirs a fashion statement. With the wide range of colours on the market today, you can choose one to match your favourite outfit!

Our audiologists will be able to help you with some practical advice on what hearing aids are available to you and give recommendations on particular models so you can be confident you’re making the right choice.

Hearing accessories

Hearing aids aren't the only devices available for people with hearing loss. There are many other products that can help people hear better in everyday situations.

Are people around you are complaining that the TV is too loud? Why not try special wireless headphones, neck loops or ear hooks so you can watch TV or listen to music at a volume that suits you?

Having trouble hearing the doorbell or alarm clock? Worried that you may not hear the smoke alarm? There is a range of specialised alerting devices which have been designed to help in everyday activity around the home, as well as keep you safe. 

If you are a hearing aid user you might like to consider some accessories to work alongside your hearing aid, such as pocket-sized remote controls and Bluetooth transmitters. Wireless communication devices can help you to hear by cutting out distracting background noise and can work either on their own or in tandem with a hearing aid.