At Sonic Hearing, we believe that hearing aids are only as good as the person who fits the aids, so we make sure our university qualified Audiologists are unrivalled at offering our clients the right choices and best fitting available. We can’t restore your natural hearing to its former glory, but we do offer you the finest hearing services available today.
HOW TO CHOOSE A HEARING AID - IN 3 STEPS!
ONE - Choose your Audiologist.
As you will be needing professional advice and support, not just high quality technology, it’s important to find an Audiologist who -
- will listen and not leave you feeling rushed
- give clear information on your hearing loss and options to address your needs
- has excellent clinical skills
- offers long term support for devices and services
TWO - Find the Right Technology to Meet Your Needs
It can be very confusing trying to compare brands, models and jargon. Experienced hearing aid users and Audiologists agree on one thing though - your choice should be based on your lifestyle, hearing and budget. These vary greatly from person to person, so how do we match technology with individual needs?
Hearing aids can be grouped into three categories: entry level, mid-range and high performance. Common listening needs include for example: clearer TV, one to one conversation, hearing in the car, family gatherings, meetings, shopping centres, restaurants. The mid to high performance aids are designed to emphasise speech in noisy places, such as the last of these. As such, if your life is full of social occasions, work meetings, travel and/or family engagements, mid to high performance hearing aids are appropriate. If on the other hand you find yourself in these settings only a few times a year, the entry to mid level aids are a good starting point. If you mainly want to hear TV more clearly and 1 or 2 people in a quiet room, the entry level aids will help greatly.
This is a guide only, as your own story is unique e.g. if you only occasionally attend meetings or social functions, yet these are very important, a high performance rather than mid range device may be best. If you don’t socialise often, an entry level aid would give clarity to the speaker and sounds around the house.
- However if the "quiet life" has been forced on you by poor hearing, a mid level device would be better for reviving your social life.
- Discuss with your Audiologist how directional microphones, "channels" and other special features can be used to "tune in" a hearing aid to your needs.
- If your have a hearing loss in both ears, then having two hearing aids is always recommended.
THREE - Choose The Style You Like
In general, the 3 levels of performance described above can all be found in all the latest hearing aid styles. This is because all hearing aids, whether inside or behind the ear, are a housing for the digital electronics which process the sound e.g. the receiver-in-the-canal aid comes in entry, mid and high performance models. This wide variety makes it easy to select the right device for the individual.
The best choice for you will depend on your personal taste and audiological profile e.g. degree of hearing loss, key needs.