Hello everyone! Happy New Year's Eve and TGIF!
Following on from our last blog post, today's guest post is by Hearing Partner's Audiologist Ms. Shermin Lim. Please have a read!
"Hello everyone. I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas. I am sure you would have given or received a gift during this festive season. In the same spirit, I would like to share my expertise on selecting the most suitable hearing aid with you.
I have touched on this topic briefly in the previous article here.
In today's post, I would like to address some issues that my hearing aid patients frequently raise."
The four most common concerns my patients raise are:
1. Size
Many people still have a stigma of wearing hearing aids and would prefer something hidden or discreet. So usually, many patients will ask for the tiny custom aids that can be hidden within their ear canal. However, there are a few key considerations - whilst custom aids may be great for users looking for something that can be hidden, their maintenance tends to be more tedious and their setting adjustments may be more limited as compared to other types of hearing aids.
Illustration to show the various types of hearing aid configurations available for you to choose from
2. Brand
Another hot topic is “which is the best brand?” While there is no single “best brand”, every brand has its own strengths and limitations. So it is more important to first determine the main features you are looking for in the hearing aid. For example: clarity and comfort in sound quality, connectivity, or additional accessories that may fit your lifestyle - such as TV adaptor or adaptor clip for your laptop. Once you decide on these, then you can decide which brand of hearing aid best suits your needs and lifestyle.
It is similar to picking a specific car brand. Sometimes it is really a matter of personal preference, style and taste.
Illustration to show that there are even colour matching options for the one brand of hearing aid for you to select
3. Model
Once again, you have to think about your needs. If you are particular about the sound quality and are sensitive to background noises, perhaps a higher-end model may better suit your needs.
I find the analogy of choosing a car useful, particularly the Mercedes brand. There are different classes of models such as C, E, and S class. The higher the model, the better the comfort and more sophisticated the features they offer. Similarly, hearing aids are also classified according to different tiers of specification and features offered.
4. Accessories
Besides choosing the hearing aid, the range of accessories is equally important. Nowadays, hearing aids come with bundle packages where you are provided an adapter clip for your laptop to enable online communication; or a TV adaptor so that you can stream your favourite television shows directly to your hearing aids for better clarity. So, the range of accessories you prefer will help determine the hearing aid best suited for you.
Before you purchase a hearing aid and accessories, do consult a hearing professional who can help guide you through the process of selecting the most suitable hearing aid for you.
Also, do remember to try the hearing aid before purchasing it. You can wear the hearing aid and take a walk in the Mall, or chat with family members & friends to see the benefit of using that aid.
If you would like a hearing evaluation, do contact us today to arrange for an assessment.
Thank you for reading! Have a great weekend
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We wish you a Happy, Healthy & Prosperous 2022!
TGIF everyone from Dr Euan & Shermin
