Selecting your first hearing aid can be a trying experience. With so many options, brands and styles available, it can be easy for a first-time hearing aid buyer to get easily overwhelmed. Audiologists and certified hearing specialists can not only diagnose your degree of hearing loss, but also guide you through the process for selecting the best hearing aid to match your specific needs.
During your hearing consultation, consider asking some of the following questions about your new hearing aids:
- Will hearing instruments actually improve my ability to hear?
- If I only have hearing loss in one ear, why should I wear two hearing aids?
- Which hearing aid style will be best for my hearing loss?
- Which digital features are indicated for my lifestyle needs?
- What are the benefits of hearing aid features—such as directional microphones, number of microphones, automatic volume and others?
- Can I operate all of the programs myself? (Do I have the vision and the manual dexterity to operate the hearing aid controls?)
- How many channels do the hearing aids have? How many do I need?
- Do the hearing aids I’m considering offer multiple or directional microphones for hearing in noise?
- How many memories do the hearing aids have? How many listening situations do I encounter?
- Do the hearing aids come with a remote control? Do I need a remote control?
- How do I use hearing aids with telephones and other assistive listening devices?
- How do I care for my hearing aids?