If you think you’re suffering from a loss of hearing, with instances like not being able to hear people during a conversation with them, it’s important not to ignore the signs and be proactive about your hearing. Here are a few steps you should follow if you suspect hearing loss:
- Visit an audiologist This should be the first step. It’s imperative that you visit an audiologist to have your hearing evaluated.
- Get medical clearance Visit your doctor and obtain the necessary medical clearance before being fit with hearing aids. You must either have the written medical clearance or you must sign a medical waiver (when no ear problems can be found).
- Receiving a hearing needs assessment You’ll get what’s called a hearing needs assessment, which should be completed with the audiologist.
The types of hearing aids available:
There are four basic types of hearing aids. Each type contains a microchip to help you distinguish speech from any background noise. They usually come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.
ITE (In the ear)
There is a range of ITE size hearing aids, worn within your ear that are custom-fit. Audiologists recommend this style for older patients with dexterity problems such as arthritis. Smaller completely-in-the-canal devices would be appropriate for those with cosmetic concerns.
BTE (Behind the ear)
These aids fit behind your outer ear and are appropriate for a wide range of hearing loss. Tubing routes the sound into your ear canal through a custom-fit ear mold.
Open-fit miniature
With this aid, a miniature BTE hearing aid is paired with an ultra-thin tube with a soft tip that fits in the ear to amplify sound.
RIC (Receiver in the canal)
This style uses a miniature BTE with the open-fit concept as well but uses a speaker built into the ear tip. The RIC is perhaps the most cosmetically appealing, with a small plastic tube or coated wire that leads to the ear canal.
Hearing Aids in the Present
Better microchip technology with faster processing speed has greatly improved the signal-processing capabilities of hearing aids in recent years. They’re becoming better at extracting speech from background noise. This will allow you to better tune in to the conversations you want to hear, and reduce background noise as much as possible at the same time.
A lot of hearing aids now also connect directly with mobile phones for easier telephone conversations. Once you address your hearing issues with the right hearing aids, you feel more connected to your own life and to others.