Don’t let fear gets in the way of good hearing

January 27, 2022

The fear of using hearing aids especially in seniors, whether they can achieve good hearing outcome deters many from coming forward to try.  How do we go about choosing the right hearing aid and get it right from the start? Here are three pointers you should know before getting hearing aid.

Three steps towards a successful hearing aid experience

1. Understand your hearing loss

Undertaking diagnostic hearing test with qualified Audiologist is the first most important step.  Test results help individuals understand why they are not hearing certain sounds and correlate them with their daily hearing difficulties.  Understanding the degree and type of hearing loss condition will help you identify the appropriate treatment options such as hearing amplification or medical treatment.

Over 75% of hearing loss cases belongs to the sensorineural type, caused mainly due to aging or noise induced.  Such damage is often permanent, irreversible and hearing aids remain the most effective solution to improve hearing.

Hearing aid amplification remains the most effective solution for hearing loss. Recent years brought great advances in digital hearing aid technology.  Let start by understanding modern hearing aids.

 

2. Understanding Hearing Aids: styles, technologies and selection criteria

Hearing aids come in various styles and technologies as they are designed for different hearing needs.  Selection considerations include the amount of hearing loss, ear canal size/shape/condition, ear drum condition, user’s dexterity level and lifestyle needs.

Advances in hearing aid technologies improve hearing quality and also makes it easier and comfortable to use.  This encourages longer usage duration and helps the brain to relearn sounds, leading to overall better hearing experience.

Virtually invisible, custom-made hearing aids appeared to be more attractive because of its small size but the size also limits the amplification power and technologies that can be implemented.

The two most impactful technologies introduced in modern aids are rechargeability and wireless Bluetooth.  Both these technologies are often available in behind-the-ear models where its sizes have reduced significantly compared to its predecessors.

1. Rechargeable technology

Rechargeable hearing aid not only delivers clearer, richer sound experience with new sound processing chip. Easy to use, the key benefit is it encourages longer usage hours which helps user to retrain their brain to relearn sounds and noise.

With rechargeable technology, seniors no longer worry about changing or buying battery and are encouraged to wear aids for longer periods as each full charge can last for over 20 years of usage.  The longer they wear, the better their hearing gets.  This is especially useful to seniors with dexterity issues.

1. Wireless Bluetooth technology

Wireless Bluetooth technology streams sounds from devices such as handphone, TV, laptop to your hearing aids automatically, after the initial setup.  This not only optimised clarity of sounds, it also makes hearing effortless which makes hearing aids easy to use, even for non-tech-savvy users.

Even users with severe hearing loss can once again hear phone calls and watch TV.

Another feature desired by users is using app to personalise their hearing, all thanks to wireless Bluetooth technology. User can adjust the volume and change programs to help them hear better in different hearing environments e.g. restaurants.

3. Understand the importance of post-hearing aid fitting support

First time hearing aid users often not aware that the post-hearing aid fitting support is equally important to achieve a good hearing outcome.

Hearing loss usually happens gradually over the years and one often get used to not hearing sounds. Getting an experienced Audiologist involved in your hearing care journey helps optimise hearing aid amplification so you can progressively resume hearing sounds at a normal sensation level that best suit your hearing and lifestyle needs.

 

By Mr Tan Boon Hai

Principal Audiologist

The Hearing Specialist Group