What Is The Best Hearing Aid For First Time Users?

Hearing aids have gone through a lot of change and development over the years. The devices which are available today are far better than those which were being used just 10 years ago, and they continue to improve as time goes on.

Of course, though, these developments aren’t very helpful when you’re choosing a hearing aid for the first time. There are a lot of options to pick from, and most people don’t know what to look for when they’re first choosing a hearing aid. To make this easier for you, we’ve broken down some of the major features you need to look for, giving you the chance to choose an option which will work well with your ears.

Something simple

Typically, hearing aids are quite simple devices, featuring just a volume wheel and a switch to change between different settings. Of course, though, some come with more controls than this, and others will make you go down a completely different route to control your hearing aid. Choosing something nice and simple will help you to get to grips with your hearing aid much faster.

Easy to wear and fit

In an ideal world, your hearing aid should only ever add benefits to your life, rather than making it harder. Having a hearing aid which is both easy to wear and to fit will help with this. There are a range of hearing aid styles available to you, though behind the ear (BTE) and full shell in the ear options will usually work best for those who haven’t used hearing aids before. These styles are a lot easier to put into your ear than their counterparts and can grow with children’s evolving ear anatomy and even the spectrum of your hearing loss.

Bluetooth enabled

Not a lot of people realize, but using a hearing aid can make it very hard to make phone calls on modern devices. Radio waves interfere with the complex electronics inside your hearing aid, creating feedback which will hurt your ears. Hearing aids with Bluetooth enable you to connect your phone up, making it possible to handle hands-free calls without having to remove your hearing aid. It can be hard to get used to handling calls when you have a hearing aid, though these tools should help you out.

The right brand

Some hearing aids are designed to simply carry out a task, while others are made to be easy to use, affordable and comfortable to wear. Talk to your audiologist about what brands they recommend and which you would benefit most from. There are several manufacturers available that have built a strong reputation for creating hearing aids which are good for first time users, using their years in the industry to act upon feedback they've had in the past.

The right professional

It’s possible to go out and find your own hearing aid, nowadays. A lot of companies sell generic options, and this can give you the opportunity to get started very quickly. Of course, though, this will make it hard to get the help you need. A professional audiologist will have the skills to help you to choose a hearing aid which meets your requirements as a first-time user.

Along with helping you to choose the right hearing aid, professionals like this will also be able to show you how to use it properly. Maintenance, changing batteries and making sure that the hearing aid is working all the time will take some practice, and this makes it well worth looking for advice each time you get a new one. Having a professional audiologist behind you will also improve your chances of having your hearing aid repaired quickly if it is ever broken.

Here at Hearing & Balance Centers of West Tennessee, we have a wealth of experience when it comes to helping people with hearing problems. We offer an extensive range of different hearing aids, many of which are ideal for those who haven’t used them before. Getting a fitting will be a smooth process, and you will have plenty of opportunities to try different options until you find something which feels right in your ear.

We encourage anyone who is looking for a hearing aid to get in touch with our friendly team. You can call us at (731) 256-5973 in Jackson or (901) 201-6761 in Memphis, and we’ll work as hard as we can to book an appointment which is convenient for you.