Hearing is one of the most important functions in our body. It helps us to connect with others and enables us to take part in daily activities easily. You get to enjoy life because you can hear. You also get to be entertained because of sound, be it through music, television, movies, and conversations and so on. Thus, the ability of hearing is something that everyone, irrespective of their age, should be able to have.
Steps towards getting a good hearing aid
Hearing loss can be devastating at any age. It is also something that cannot be prevented in most as deteriorating of organ functions with advancing age is a natural process. But the silver lining is that this process can be solved. One will be able to hear normally and resume their daily routing with the help of a good hearing aid. But getting one involves few steps, the first of which is seeking the advice of a doctor of audiology. If you see any signs of hearing problems, meet the doctor at the earliest so that he can suggest remedial measures. He will also prescribe the right hearing aid. The second step is to find about the different hearing aids, their features and mode of working. The next step is to choose the right style and design. You will need a professional help for the same from a hearing clinic.
The main types of hearing aids
There are two types of hearing aids – one is the in-the-ear aids and the second is behind-the-ear.
In-the-ear hearing aids: These are worn in the ear and they are made to custom fit. You will also get them in different skin tones so that they can be worn in such a way that it camouflages with the color of the skin. There are many styles to choose from as well. One is invisible in-the-canal which is the smallest hearing aid and placed in the ear canal after the second bend. This type of hearing aid is used for those who have mild to moderate hearing problems. The other style is the completely-in-the-canal hearing aid which is also for mild to moderate hearing loss but this one is best for those who want complete invisibility of their hearing aid. The third type is the in-the-canal style which is placed in outer ear bowl. These have a better battery life than other models and come with more features including volume controls and directional microphones. Another style is the in-the-ear hearing aid which covers the whole outer ear bowl. It is a little bigger in size and has a larger battery and can be used in patients with severing hearing impairment.
Behind-the-ear styles: These are placed behind the ears and come in a variety of colors and designs. Their batteries are also bigger and have a longer life. One style is the mini ones and come with a thin tube. The second type is receiver in the ear and is suited for those with mild to severe hearing problem. The third type is the one with earmold which is very powerful and can be used by patients with intense hearing loss.