Modern hearing aids are so effective and convenient that they bear little resemblance to the first ear trumpets or ear horns that used to amplify sound for people who had hearing issues. When you are choosing a hearing aid, it is important to consider a variety of features to determine which one will best suit your needs, preferences, and lifestyle. Hearing aids with many features may be more expensive, but you may be able to get help in paying for your hearing aid.
Directional Microphone
A hearing aid that has a directional microphone will make it easier for you to have a conversation in noisy environments like malls or restaurants. That's because the directional microphone picks up on the audio signal in front of you and makes it louder than other surrounding noises. You may opt for a hearing aid that lets you switch between a directional and omnidirectional microphone, since both may serve your purposes best at different times.
Automatic Volume Control
Another feature that many hearing aids offer is the ability to automatically control the volume to help you hear better. Automatic volume control, which is referred to as compression, amplifies low sound levels to be greater than higher levels. It does this because those higher sounds can be too loud in contrast to the soft sounds. That level of amplification depends on how severe your hearing loss is.
Telecoil
As a helpful feature on an increasing number of hearing aids, a telecoil is a tiny wire coil that allows the effective pick-up of signals from a phone. A telecoil is sometimes called a t-coil or a t-switch. Some of the main benefits of having a hearing aid with a telecoil include noise reduction and reverberation reduction. Whether you have moderate or significant hearing loss, a telecoil can help you hear better in a variety of situations, and it can be automatic or manual.
Wax Guards
Wax guards can protect hearing aids against moisture and wax. Without wax guards, ear wax may cause malfunctions to even the most high-end hearing aids. Wax build-up can cause the sound you receive to be distorted and unclear. The wax guard should be easy to position on the hearing aid, and most need to be replaced regularly.
Finally, keep in mind that hearing aids can greatly increase the quality of your life. Without a hearing aid, social situations can get stressful very easily as you struggle to hear what others want to tell you, and that can lead to withdrawing from those you care about. Ignored hearing loss can even cause you to lose interest in hobbies that matter to you. If your doctor recommends getting a hearing aid, follow their advice, and consider the above features before making your hearing aid purchasing decision.
For more information, talk to a professional like Desert Knolls Hearing Center.
Share6 January 2017
I am a mother of four wonderful children, and like other parents, I have been to my fair share of health care clinics. It seems like my children are always getting scrapes and coming down with colds. When I was a new parent, I never knew whether I should take my injured or ill child to the emergency room or local urgent care facility. I received some simple advice from a seasoned parent that made my decisions easier that I want to pass onto all new parents, along with other health tips I've learned. he told me that she tended to take her children to the ER when they were bleeding or had very high temperatures and took them to the local urgent care for any other problem. I have followed her advice ever since, and my children remain healthy and happy!
