Do you perceive the changes in hearing and have plans to buy hearing aids for the first time? Are you new to hearing aids or have you used them for years and now consider that it is time for an upgrade or a change? Whether it is for the first time or a replacement, Purchasing new hearing aids is never an easy decision. Since the average price of new hearing aids is costly, it is wise to make this decision with the right information.
The hearing aid market is massive, and with minimal information available on the web, it becomes easy to go for the ‘best’ hearing aids at the lowest prices in the market. Most people approach hearing aids as if it is just another product like a phone or a car, but the approach to treating hearing loss is vastly different and considerably more complex. This is why picking the wrong hearing aids can be disappointing, and at worse, even if you were to buy the best hearing aids on the market, they might not be correctly fitted or programmed for your type of hearing loss. This can lead to you spending several thousands of dollars on hearing aids that doesn't fit you.
After we read all of this the question remains, how can one make the right decision? Knowledge is power as a consumer. It is necessary to be informed and be ready with questions when entering a hearing consultation. Here are seven critical questions that you should ask your hearing care provider to ensure that you are receiving maximum value and benefits from your hearing aids.
1. What is your procedure for Hearing Aid Fitting? Do you perform Real Ear Testing?
It is worth noting that one of the most significant components of hearing aid fitting is the real ear measurement. When hearing aids are fitted, the manufacturer software offers a first fit or best fit setting to the hearing aid. This is just a rough guess of what your prescription might be. Sadly, this is where most hearing care providers get their estimate and then fine-tune it with your input.
The problem with this approach is that you are used to the fact that you have hearing loss, and your brain does not have a reference of how it should be to hear normally. This makes it quite hard to self-adjust the right settings since the sound that you might first ‘like’ is not necessarily the right hearing prescription.
Real ear measurement helps your audiologist in programming your hearing aids with one hundred percent precision on the shape and sound of your ear canal, the hearing devices’ efficiency, and the details of your hearing loss. It means that your hearing aids are fitted as closely to your requirements as it is possible, which is far more rewarding in terms of hearing.
2. What Process Did You Use to Select the Hearing Aids That You Advised Me to Use?
You should also know how your audiologist decided upon the hearing aids that he advised you to buy. Some audiologists may be restricted in terms of the technology they can provide because of the contracts they have entered into with specific manufacturers or franchises. At times, they may only cover one product line, which may not be very helpful to you as a client.
Your audiologist should be able to give reasons for chosing a particular hearing aids brand for your hearing needs. This should be recommended based on your type foe hearing loss, your lifestyle, and your preferences, not based on what they have in stock.
3. What follow-up care is included with my hearing aids?
There are two categories of hearing aids, where the aids are sold as a bundle, and one where they are sold per component. Bundled service programs include some or all your follow-up care and an unbundled hearing aid will usually provide very little follow-up service, and you have to pay for it.
This differentiation has a huge impact on the initial cost of hearing aids. Compared to unbundered services, you may have to pay a higher rate at first, but you will be receiving quality services for years without having to pay any extra bills. Some of the visits may include clean and check, annual audiologist examination, prescription renewal, and hearing aid tuning.
4. What Is Your Procedure That I Should Follow to Ease Myself into Using the Hearing Aids?
Hearing aid success depends on the adjustment of the person to the hearing aids. There are a lot of hearing care providers who do not have a definite brain retraining program to assist you in adjusting with the new sounds that you will be able to hear once you have hearing aids. Once the brain adapts to the situation of hearing loss, hearing aids seem to produce unfamiliar, intrusive or even painful sounds.
It is crucial to have a proper program of brain retraining, including follow-up visits and gradual acclimatization. The above process will assist your brain to adapt to the new sounds that you will be receiving that will let you be comfortable with your hearing aids and use them every day with high satisfaction. Without this, even the best hearing aids could end up in a drawer as gadgets that are of no use.
5. What Training Do You Possess and What is Your Level of Education?
Hearing aids can be fitted by audiologists, hearing instrument specialists and sometimes even an ENT physician. The level of education and training of these professionals also mostly also differs.
Audiologists must have at least eight years of college education and over 2,500 supervised practicum hours before going solo. They are taught diagnostics, human anatomy, human physiology, neurology, physics of sound and psychoacoustics to enable them diagnose and treat various auditory disorders.
Hearing instrument specialists, on the other hand, must go through a temporary training permit that comprises of 150 hours (about 6 and a half days) of direct supervised practice and 10 hours of masking. They are also required to take an examination and pass a practical test and after a one-year probation, they are issued with the full license for dispensing hearing aids.
But of course, there are great professionals in both fields, and if you begin with a hearing aid with a recommendation or a high rating of an audiologist, you will get a more extensive idea of your hearing condition.
6. What Warranties Come with Hearing Aids?
Hearing aids are small electronic devices that you wear on your ears for a long time; they meet sweat, skin, and earwax. The technology for moisture and dirt resistance has come a long way, but it is still not unfathomable to expect your hearing aids to require repair within the first couple of years of use.
It is important to know the warranties that come with your hearing aids. You need to understand what is included in the warranty, how much it will cost you to get the device repaired, and if you will be able to borrow another device while your device is being repaired. Most hearing aids also have a Loss and Damage clause that can let you replace lost hearing aids for a small amount of cash. Usually, manufacturer warranties are given for one to three years.
7. Are your Hearing Aids Private Labeled or Locked?
There are hearing aids that are “closed” and you must go back to the original provider or to the network for servicing and fine-tuning. This may not be much of a problem if the provider has wide coverage across the country, but if you relocate or are in areas that the service providers do not cover, then it becomes a problem.
Non-private-labeled or unlocked devices are more advantageous to be chosen. This will give you the flexibility of getting your hearing aids fixed and adjusted by other professionals so that they are not exclusively referred to for the same.
Conclusion
Hearing aids are a major investment in enhancing the quality of your life and asking the right questions will help you make the right decision. Therefore, when making the decision on which hearing aids to purchase, there are some factors that may be useful in decision making; these include real ear testing, selection process, follow up care, provider training, warranties and lock status of the devices. Just remember that your aim is to get hearing aids that will help you to hear better and help you to live a better life.
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