"I see that hearing aids are available for purchase online. Is there a difference in the quality of the hearing aids?"
Yes! As we've been discussing, there are several considerations to make before purchasing hearing instruments online.
- Will the hearing aid properly address my hearing loss?
- If your primary complaint is the inability to understand what people are saying in noisy environments, you may need a hearing instrument with more advanced digital noise suppression features. Read more by clicking here.
- How will the instruments be programmed to account for my particular hearing loss?
- Two people with the same hearing test results do not listen the same. People have varying degrees of speech comprehension, even when their hearing loss looks identical on an audiogram. Therefore, an audiologist will adjust the hearing aid settings according to a variety of factors including how well you tolerate loud sounds, how clearly you follow speech in noise and quiet, and how well you understand rapid speech. Read more by clicking here.
The final consideration that must be made before deciding to buy a hearing aid online is: "Will the hearing aids account for my lifestyle?" Learning about an individual's hobbies, social activities, and employment is a necessary part of a thorough hearing evaluation. This helps an audiologist understand the different acoustic environments an individual will experience on a regular basis. Does the individual swim, golf, bike, camp, work with wood or play sports consistently? Does the individual talk more often on a cell phone or land line phone? How often does the individual travel? Is the individual enrolled in school? Does he or she sing in a choir, speak to large gatherings, teach kindergartners, play an instrument, exhibit symptoms of tinnitus, etc.? These questions help the audiologist identify the type of technology and features an individual with hearing loss will require. Below is a list of features contained within modern hearing aids:
- Waterproof, dustproof, shock-proof casing
- Wireless connection to telephones, television, computers, tablets, and iPods
- Tinnitus Programming
- Personal access to adjust hearing aids using iPhones, iPads, and Android powered devices
- Wind Noise Reduction (for golfers and boaters)
- Automatic programming for car travel
- Hearing the caller's voice in both ears while conversing on a landline
- Alarm system compatibility
- Automatic Volume controls
- No-whistle technology
For more information on buying hearing aids online, click here.
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