Hearing aids: How to choose the right one

Many types of hearing aids exist. So which is best for you? Find out what to consider when choosing a hearing aid.

Perhaps you've thought about getting a hearing aid, but you're worried about how it will look or whether it will really help. It may help ease your concerns to know more about:

-The hearing aid options available to you

-What to look for when buying a hearing aid

-How to get used to a hearing aid

How hearing aids work

All hearing aids use the same basic parts to carry sounds from the environment into your ear and make them louder. Most hearing aids are digital, and all are powered with a traditional hearing aid battery or a rechargeable battery.

Small microphones collect sounds from the environment. A computer chip with an amplifier converts the incoming sound into digital code. It analyzes and adjusts the sound based on your hearing loss, listening needs and the level of the sounds around you. The amplified signals are then converted back into sound waves and delivered to your ears through speakers, sometimes called receivers.

Hearing aid styles

Hearing aids vary a great deal in price, size, special features and the way they're placed in your ear.

The following are common hearing aid styles,

beginning with the smallest, least visible in the ear. Hearing aid designers keep making smaller hearing aids to meet the demand for a hearing aid that is not very noticeable. But the smaller aids may not have the power to give you the improved hearing you may expect.

Completely in the canal (CIC) or mini CIC

A completely-in-the-canal hearing aid is molded to fit inside your ear canal. It improves mild to moderate hearing loss in adults.

A completely-in-the-canal hearing aid:

• Is the smallest and least visible type

• Is less likely to pick up wind noise

• Uses very small batteries

• Often doesn't include extra features, such as volume control or a directional microphone

In the canal

An in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid is custom molded and fits partly in the ear canal. This style can improve mild to moderate hearing loss in adults.

An in-the-canal hearing aid:

• Is less visible in the ear than larger styles

Behind the ear

A behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid hooks over the top of your ear and rests behind the ear. A tube connects the hearing aid to a custom earpiece called an ear mold that fits in your ear canal. This type is appropriate for people of all ages and those with almost any type of hearing loss.

A behind-the-ear hearing aid:

• Traditionally has been the largest type of hearing aid, though some newer mini designs are streamlined and barely visible

• Has directional microphones

Is capable of more amplification than are other style

• Available with a rechargeable battery

Receiver in canal or receiver in the ear

The receiver-in-canal (RIC) and receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) styles are similar to a behind-the-ear hearing aid with the speaker or receiver that sits in the ear canal. A tiny wire, rather than tubing, connects the piece behind the ear to the speaker or receiver.

A receiver-in-canal hearing aid:

• Typically has a less visible behind-the-ear portion

• Has directional microphones

• Has manual control options

• Available with rechargeable battery

Additional features

Some optional features of hearing aids improve your ability to hear in specific situations:

• Noise reduction.

All hearing aids have some amount of noise reduction available. The amount of noise reduction varies. Some also offer wind noise reduction.

• Directional microphones. These are aligned on the hearing aid to provide for improved pickup of sounds coming from in front of you with some reduction of sounds coming from behind or beside you. Some hearing aids are capable of focusing in one direction. Directional microphones can improve your ability to hear when you're in an environment with a lot of background noise.

• Rechargeable batteries. Some hearing aids have rechargeable batteries. This can make maintenance easier for you by eliminating the need to regularly change the battery.

• Telecoils. Telecoils make it easier to hear when talking on a telecoil-compatible telephone. The telecoil reduces the sounds from your environment and picks up the sounds from the hearing-aid-compatible telephone. Telecoils also pick up signals from public induction loop systems that can be found in some churches and theaters, allowing you to hear a speaker, play or movie better.

• Wireless connectivity. Increasingly, hearing aids can wirelessly interface with certain Bluetooth-compatible devices, such as cellphones, music players, computers and televisions.

• Application .Some hearing aids connect wirelessly to a cellphone and have a cellphone application that allows use of the cellphone as a remote control.

• Variable programming. Some hearing aids can store several preprogrammed settings for various listening needs and environments.

• Synchronization. For an individual with two hearing aids, the aids can be programmed to function together so that adjustments made to a hearing aid on one ear (volume control or program changes) will also be made on the other aid, allowing for simpler control.

Before you buy

When looking for a hearing aid, explore your options to understand what type of hearing aid will work best for you. Also:

• Get a checkup

have your hearing tested by a hearing specialist (audiologist).

An audiologist will assess your hearing, help you choose the most appropriate hearing aid and adjust the device to meet your needs. If you have hearing loss in both ears, you will get best results with two hearing aids.

• Think about future needs. Ask whether the hearing aid you've chosen is capable of increased power so that it will still be useful if your hearing loss gets worse.

• Check for a warranty. Make sure the hearing aid includes a warranty that covers parts and labor for a specified period.

Getting used to your hearing aid

Getting used to a hearing aid takes time. You'll likely notice that your listening skills improve gradually as you become accustomed to amplification.

When first using a hearing aid, keep these points in mind:

• Allow time to get used to the hearing aid. It takes time to get used to your new hearing aid. But the more you use it, the more quickly you'll adjust to amplified sounds.

• Go back for a follow-up. It's a good idea to take advantage of this for any adjustments and to ensure that your new hearing aid is working for you as well as it can.

Your success with hearing aids will be helped by wearing them regularly and taking good care of them. In addition, an audiologist can tell you about new hearing aids and devices that become available. He or she can also help you make changes to meet your needs. The goal is that, in time, you find a hearing aid you're comfortable with and that enhances your ability to hear and communicate.