How to Find an Affordable Hearing Aid

Hearing loss is a progressive condition that affects more than 37 million people in the United States. Although you might not be able to reverse the process, treatment options and devices are available to help you regain your hearing and improve your quality of life. The first step in finding an affordable hearing aid is deciding what device will work best for your degree of hearing loss. Here is everything you need to know from where you can get them, who can recommend them and how long it takes before they start working.

Your Appointment

To determine whether or not a hearing aid will beneficial to your needs, you’ll schedule an appointment with an audiologist. This professional will gather information on your medical background, hobbies, lifestyle and symptoms to better understand how at-risk you are for developing hearing loss. For example, someone that enjoys listening to live music but doesn’t wear hearing protection, would be more at risk of developing hearing loss than someone who prefers a quieter hobby, like reading.

Once they have obtained all pertinent information, the audiologist will evaluate your hearing through a series of tests. These will not only identify a hearing loss, but will better project the severity of your condition.

Once you have the results from your hearing test, the audiologist will discuss treatment options. This typically involves a hearing aid, which is available in multiple styles to fit your preferences and needs.

Identify the Device That Suits Your Needs

There are a variety of hearing aids on the market, so you’ll want to work with your audiologist to find the best device for you. Some factors to consider include:

• The severity of your hearing loss
• Whether you have trouble understanding speech in noisy environments
• Your lifestyle and budget

After you’ve determined which type of hearing aid is right for you, your audiologist will help you choose a model that fits both your needs and your budget.

The most common hearing aids on the market include:

• In the ear (ITE)
• In the canal (ITC)
• Completely in canal (CIC)
• Invisible in canal (IIC)
• Behind the ear (BTE)

These devices are all suitable for different hearing loss needs, so your audiologist will discuss with you what type is ideal for your current situation.

Selecting the Right Features

When selecting a hearing aid in your budget, it’s important to consider what features you will benefit most from. There are a wide range of features available, including:

• Directional microphones
• Bluetooth
• Feedback reduction
• Multisettings
• Remote access
• Smart programming

Getting the right features is crucial to your listening experience. Talk to your audiologist about your budget and the items most important to you, and they will work with you to find a set of features that will fit with your lifestyle.

Avoid Costly Repairs

One easy way to get the most out of your hearing aid and avoid racking up additional costs, is by properly maintaining and caring for your device. Hearing aids are incredibly advanced pieces of technology, so it’s critical you treat them as such. This means daily cleanings with a dry cloth, examining them for any physical damage, scratches or earwax buildup, as well as more thorough cleanings routinely with your audiologist.

Caring for your device not only helps it operate at an optimum level, but will increase the longevity of your hearing aid. Your audiologist will walk you through all the proper care steps, but it’s also important you check in with them to make sure your device is functioning properly. Additionally, don’t forget to store your hearing aids in an appropriate container when you’re not wearing them, to ensure small hands don’t carry them off.

Getting Suitable Hearing Aid

You should consider all of your options, talk to your audiologist and explore what payment programs you may be eligible for to ensure you are getting the best investment for your money. Avoid ill-suited devices like over-the-counter products that aren’t fine-tuned to your individual needs. Not only are these not effective in providing a positive listening experience, they often cause people with hearing loss to feel more frustrated and wait longer before seeking treatment again.

Talk with your audiologist about their payment plans. Many will provide installment payments, credit options or additional benefits for purchasing your devices with them, such as battery discounts or free cleanings and examinations.

Your hearing health is important, which is why we’re here to help you find the right device. You can call (281) 420-8033 to learn more about Texas Professional Hearing Center.