Which Hearing Aid should I choose?

The CORRECT way to buy a hearing aid

Ear drum checking by doctor / audiologist

(Otoscopy)

Hearing test by doctor / audiologist

(Tuning Forks + Audiometry + Informal Testing)

Personalize - Find your needs & select model

Programmed by a professional audiologist

Trial in different environments

Purchase

& Regular Follow Up

The WRONG way to buy a hearing aid

Find the cheapest seller

Programmed by a quack

Purchase

90% OFF HEARING AIDS - sounds like a good deal but it's a complete waste of money if it's too uncomfortable to use 

BIGGEST SALE ON HEARING AIDS - means nothing if it's incorrectly programmed or just a sound amplifier that can't be programmed 

The art of programming a hearing aid to perfection

The hearing loss is often different for different sounds. Only if the hearing aid is customized to perfection, it can benefit the wearer. Any sound higher or lower than the required amount can lead to irritation & headaches. The good news is that a hearing aid can be programmed multiple times till perfection is achieved. However to achieve perfection, you need an audiologist who has studied sound & hearing in detail.

Music as a method to test hearing aids

Music is a combination of different tones & frequencies. When a familiar song is played after hearing aid fitting, it often tells a wearer how well he or she can hear. At our center, we often use music as a means of testing whether or not the hearing aid is perfectly fit.

Checklist before the day of programming a hearing aid

Record the bell of your house.Record the voice of every member of your family saying 1 sentence loud & clear. Come with a close relative. Carry your audiogram & history sheet along with you.

Adaptation of hearing aids

Hearing loss is usually a long standing condition. It takes very long for a patient to get used to wearing a new device. However the solution is simple, wear it as much as possible & get used to it as fast as possible. Auditory training is a very useful tool to make this transition faster & is a must for first time hearing aid users. Re: Our research paper:Entina Hearsmart

Motivated vs forced patient

Deaf-happy-in denial... the lethal combination. The toughest nut to crack. Programming becomes even more important in such individuals, however motivating the patient is still the first step to achieving success in hearing aid fitting. 

The personal touch

Each individual is different. Some spend more time at home, some more in crowded places. Some use gadgets & phones, some only watch TV. Some listen to music, some travel to different places whereas some have a tendency to lose their possessions. Each of these aspects have to be carefully considered before selecting the model of hearing aid that will suit you best. The most expensive isn't always the best & similarly the cheapest isn't the best deal. Sadly, hearing aids have been reduced to a commodity & the art of programming has shifted to the art of selling. At Entina ENT Clinic, we are the old school matchmakers who will find & customize the perfect hearing aid for you. 

The features you need & the features you don't

Imagine a 90 year old lady who owns a feature phone buys a hearing aid with iphone connectivity. Many patients, like this are often mismatched with unnecessary features. It is necessary to find out the features we actually require & the ones we won't ever. A very essential & recently added feature is waterproof hearing aids. More than often saves your expensive hearing aid from the deadly water splatter. For an individual with regular & daily use prescribed, rechargeable hearing aids work out to be cheaper in the long run.

There is much more to hearing aids than just a discount or sale or a camp.

Moral of this article:

Don't risk your hearing. Consult a professional ONLY.

Steps to go through before purchase of a Hearing Aid