Don't Be Fooled By The Gimmicks Part 3, Become an Educated Consumer Of Hearing Aid

By Gina Diaz, AuD, CCC-A

Freedom Hearing Center LLC

. https://freedomhearing.com/

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Don't Be Fooled By The Gimmicks Part 3, Become an Educated Consumer Of Hearing Aid

An educated consumer should discuss the following questions before investing in their hearing health care or hearing aids

What services are included in the price of your hearing aids?

Repair warranty?

Loss and damage coverage?

Programming adjustments?

Cleaning/care of hearing aids?

Trial period?

Even if the services listed above are included they may not be as easily accessible to you if you purchase hearing aids online/mail order.

What kind of follow up care and maintenance schedule should you expect to receive after your hearing aid fitting? Your hearing health care should not end with your hearing aid fitting. You should expect to

Have an audiologic re-evaluation every one to two years for monitoring purposes or sooner if concerns arise.

Be able to have programming adjustments made to your hearing aids to accommodate changes in your hearing thresholds.

See your audiologist at least every six months for follow up/routine clean and check of your hearing aids. Just like anything else, the more attention to the care the longer they will last.

During your six-month follow up appointment(s)

Your ear canals should be checked to make sure they are free of excessive debris and/or signs of infection.

If you have custom ear molds they should be checked to make sure they are still fitting properly in your ear canal to ensure maximum hearing benefit and reduce feedback.

If you have tubing it should be changed as it gets hard and can ruin the sound quality.

If you have domes they should be changed, as over time they lose their retention abilities.

You should discuss any changes in battery life especially if it pertains to a decrease in sound quality or clarity.

What level of technology/hearing aid style would benefit you and why? It is important to note that one size does not fit all. The ear is a complex organ so the treatment should be customized to the individual. The selection of hearing aids should come after the provider gains a thorough understanding of your specific hearing loss and listening needs.

There are many factors that require consideration such as manual dexterity, physical examination of the ear, external disorders, lifestyle, and budget. Being seen by an audiologist will ensure that you will be offered a wide variety of hearing devices that meet your needs and budget. This includes offering multiple levels of technology from quality manufacturers.