When you first find out you need a hearing aid it’s not always easy to know where to start. There are a lot of options out there and it can seem like everyone is telling you their hearing aid is the right one. Some places that sell hearing aids can have good intentions of wanting to help but instead, come across as too pushy to be comfortable while you’re thinking about such an important buying decision.
You definitely want to put some time into the process of buying a hearing aid. It’s something you’re going to be relying on to improve the quality of your daily life drastically. If it’s uncomfortable or doesn’t seem to work well you’ll end up frustrated and possibly have to start the process over again.
If you aren’t sure what to focus on when you’re shopping for a hearing aid you aren’t alone. Luckily there are some experts out there who have great suggestions for you on what to keep in mind while shopping. It doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as it might feel right now. Here are five tips you can use to help you find the right hearing aid.
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1. Weigh Out The Pricing Pros And Cons
A hearing aid is a tech item and just like other tech items out there sometimes you are paying for a name, and sometimes you’re paying for features you don’t need. If you don’t talk on the phone much, for instance, you may not need a hearing aid that has blue tooth connectivity capabilities. Don’t be pushed into features you know you won’t use.
At the same time, you want to keep an eye out for hearing aids that seems suspiciously low in cost. The ones that seem too good to be true typically are. If you see something on a TV commercial it’s probably not going to be an actual hearing aid. At least not in the way that most people are assuming it would be. At best they are more of a cheap sound amplifier.
The point with this tip is just to be a smart consumer. If you are expecting to pay within a certain price range and the hearing aid you’ve been looking at is wildly out of line with that range, it’s time to start asking why. If it’s too expensive see if there are other models with fewer features. If it’s too cheap, find out why. You’re allowed to ask questions and those questions can really help.
2. Get Advice From People You Trust
If you have friends and family who have already purchased hearing aids, ask them for recommendations on places to shop. They can give you firsthand accounts of how they were treated at different hearing aid providers while they were shopping. If someone was too pushy or dishonest about their products, they’ll be able to tell you that.
If you ask for recommendations from people you trust they’re more likely to be honest with you than someone who doesn’t know you very well. They’ll be the ones to let you know if they don’t think a specific provider is a good option. Word of mouth is a powerful tool that you can use for your own gain to narrow down the options out there.
If no one you know and trust has purchased a hearing aid yet, you can look at reviews online. Some websites, like Yelp!, have a reputation for posting mostly honest reviews. It’s harder to know if these reviews are legit when you’re online, but they can still be helpful in your search. Seek the advice of others and use what they say to guide you on where to look.
3. Think About The Size
It’s easy to be drawn to hearing aids that are tiny and will be very discrete. Sometimes you just don’t want to think about having a hearing aid that’s larger and easily identified with just a glance. It’s okay to take the look of your hearing aid into account, but you need to remember that smaller hearing aids sometimes have more limitations than larger ones.
Some smaller models are not going to work well if you have severe hearing loss. Others are not going to be capable of filtering out background noise, which can be a big factor in the hearing aid’s efficacy. Another thing you’ll want to keep in mind is that smaller models are harder to handle when changing a battery, which can be frustrating if you have dexterity issues like arthritis.
Talk with your audiologist about any ideas that you might have regarding how big you want your hearing aid to be. They can help you figure out what’s more realistic based on your specific needs. This way you won’t be shocked when you’re out shopping and are told a smaller hearing aid might not be the best option for you.
4. Ask To Try Before You Buy
A lot of providers will let you test out a hearing aid for a while before you commit to one specific model. They can use disposable tips to make sure that they’re clean and safe to wear, which means you can test out the hearing aid in your regular environment. It’s a really helpful way to make sure you’re buying something that’s going to improve your life.
Think about how the hearing aid is helping you in settings you normally have trouble hearing. If you struggle to hear someone talking to you because there’s background noise like an air conditioner going, pay attention to how the hearing aid changes that. Test drives are a great way to ensure you aren’t going to be wasting your money on something that won’t work for you.
5. Don’t Be Pushed Into Something You Hate
If you’ve tried a hearing aid out and it didn’t help you, don’t let anyone change your mind about that. You’re the one that wore the hearing aid and you’re the only one that could possibly know if you were able to hear more clearly while using it. If you decide a hearing aid isn’t the right model for you don’t be bullied by pushy sales tactics.
It’s okay to be picky about something this expensive and essential to your daily life. If you don’t like the way it works, the way it feels, or you just want to try something else just be firm about that decision. If you don’t think you’ll be able to stick to your decision ask a friend or family member to go with you so you feel more comfortable. This is a decision that truly is all about you.
Conclusion:
It’s understandable to be a little confused about how to find the right hearing aid for you and your lifestyle. Keeping these tips in mind as you shop and figure out what works will help the process be less overwhelming. Remember that it’s okay to ask questions and be picky. Once you can hear things clearly and well for the first time in a long time you’ll be glad you were so thorough about your decision.