Hearing Aids
Choosing a hearing aid that will work best for you may seem like a challenge. You need to balance your personal aesthetic, lifestyle and budget, as well as which model will work best for your type and degree of hearing loss. FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers certified audiologists help to break this process down into steps to make it more manageable.
Type & Degree of Hearing Loss
This is by far the most important step. There are six standard degrees of hearing loss: slight, mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe and profound. Those with slight, mild or moderate hearing loss are able to benefit from all major styles of hearing aids. Moderately severe and severe hearing loss requires a larger hearing aid, such as a behind-the-ear models. Those with profound hearing loss cannot benefit from a hearing aid but may be good candidates for a bone-anchored hearing device or a cochlear implant.
Hearing Lifestyle
There are four distinct lifestyles: private, quiet, active and dynamic. Those with a private lifestyle are only around minimal background noise, requiring a hearing aid with the lowest level of technology. An individual with a quiet lifestyle is occasionally exposed to background noise but is typically in a quiet environment. They need only slightly more technology than those with a private lifestyle. An active lifestyle involves a moderate amount of background noise. Patients with this lifestyle are often in complicated listening environments and need more technology than those with a quiet lifestyle. Those with a dynamic lifestyle are exposed to a significant amount of background noise. This is the most advanced lifestyle, as individuals constantly switch between listening environments and need the most advanced hearing aid to keep up.
Hearing Aid Styles
Hearing aid styles range from practically invisible to those that sit noticeably behind the ear. While the styles that sit completely within the ear may be less noticeable, they are typically more limited in advanced features. The larger the hearing aid, the more features and the longer the battery life.
Hearing Aid Costs
Hearing aids can be a costly investment for some. While the price of hearing aids can vary depending on many factors, hearing aids equipped with more advanced technology and added features tend to be more expensive.
