22nd July 2015

Hearing Aid Myths That Are Simply Wrong

In our years of experience with hearing and hearing aids we have heard and given a lot of advice about hearing aids. Some hearing aid tips are obvious but they are still worth saying, like the following

• “Don’t shower with your hearing aids on, honestly, you really don't need to hear your singing and your hearing aids don't like it.”
• “Keep your hearing aids away from children and the dog, they like to eat them, honestly!”

Then there are the more technical tips that we dispense with our hearing aids:

• “Any adjustment you make of the volume setting  will be cancelled when your hearing aid is turned off, or if you change program.”
• “Remove the sticker on your battery to activate it before placing it in your hearing aid, otherwise that button of power goodness won't work.”
• "Change your wax guard to keep protecting your hearing aid from wax, really, really, listen to us on this one."

That is all pretty good advice, but there is some advice out there that is simply wrong. Here are the 5 worst hearing aid myths we have heard.

Buy a cheap one, they are all the same

Hearing aids come in many shapes and sizes and from many different manufacturers. From behind-the-ear to invisible-in-canal hearing aids, each has its own advantages and is suitable for differing hearing losses. Hearing aids also come in different quality and technology levels. The higher the technology level, the better the hearing aids will do in more challenging sound environments. 

Cheaper no-name hearing aids aren’t typically of the same quality as branded hearing aids.  Manufacturers spend years researching and creating a near-perfect  hearing aid sound, and it is often that sound quality that distinguishes them from no-name brands. Believe us when we say the insides of thoise hearing aids are very different and they work very differently.

You can't expect to buy something for a £100 and expect it to be the same quality as something that cost £1,000. That is just common sense. As  hearing professionals we will evaluate which hearing aid is best for you based on your hearing loss, type of hearing loss, and your lifestyle needs. 

Buy a hearing aid online or mail order, it will be grand!

The price of an online hearing aid may seem tempting, they are often cheaper than the known brands and there isn’t the hassle of booking an appointment and coming to us. Hearing aids aren’t simple generic amplifiers, they are complex computer devices that are manufactured and programmed especially for you and your hearing loss. Buying hearing aids isn’t the same as buying glasses, hearing aids are medical devices that need to be fine-tuned to suit your hearing needs. That involves a few aftercare visits and services that only a professional can provide.

In order for you to hear better we identify your specific needs and match those needs with the level of your hearing loss. This information will help the us to find the hearing aid that’s best for you and your particular hearing loss. That is a service that isn't provided with online or mail order purchase. We use specialized equipment to measure your hearing loss type, degree, and shape. We also examine your ear and refer you back to your doctor if there are any physical ear problems. Again  these are things that you won't get online or mail order.

They all look the same right?

You may have seen products that look like hearing aids advertised online. These are called Personal Sound Amplifiers, and while they look like hearing aids, they don't work like them. Personal Sound Amplifiers aren’t considered medical devices, so they don’t need to meet the strict safety standards or regulations that govern hearing aids. Personal Sound Amplifiers tend to be based on old analogue technology, analogue amplifiers amplify all sounds. They don't distinguish between the types of sounds that you need to hear and the types of sound you don't. They can’t be adjusted for your type of hearing loss either. They are just set to what they are set to, you can make them louder but not clearer.

They also don't have the technology features that are available in most modern hearing aids. Hearing aids use features like noise reduction and directional microphones that help you focus on the sounds you want to hear. Personal Sound Amplifiers also have a generic fit, which may not be comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Hearing aids can be customised to your ear and be adjusted to give you the perfect fit.

Hearing aids just make everything loud

While hearing aids are meant to make sounds louder for you to hear, modern digital hearing aids don't just amplify everything. Modern hearing aids can be carefully customised to your hearing loss, amplifying the sounds that you are missing. They are also equipped with high technology features that help you focus on just the sound you want to hear.  When we listen to a sound, we are rarely in doubt as to whether it is speech or noise. The noise reduction features in modern hearing aids is able to distinguish the two in much the same way as our brains do. 

These features allow you to focus on  speech, so you don’t have to strain to hear what is being said. By taking your level of hearing loss into account, we can program your hearing aid to match your level of speech understanding in each listening environment. Directional microphones also work to reduce the amount of noise allowed to enter your hearing aids.

Here are some examples:

• Quiet environments: In a quiet environment with no noise, the microphone system will pick up sound evenly from all directions.
• Noisy environments: If noise is present the microphones will work to pick up the least amount of noise by trying to ignore the areas where the noise is coming from.
• Noise from behind: If the noise is located behind you, your directional microphones will adapt to pick up sound from in front of you and dampen noise from behind you.
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You have to get a big hearing aid in order to hear well

Hearing aids are no longer the large devices that some people envision. Even the more powerful hearing aids for severe to profound loss are nothing like the size they were even five years. Bigger certainly doesn’t mean better with hearing aids. Hearing aids come in all shapes and sizes, the kind you need depends on your level of hearing loss, your lifestyle needs, and your personal preference. We will help you to identify the best device for you. Hearing aids typically come in  two overall types:

• In-the-ear hearing aids: In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids are suitable for most types of hearing loss. They are usually small like an eartip and sit in the outer portion of the ear canal. Depending on the size of the ear canal. Depending on the size chosen an in-the-ear hearing aid can be very discreet.

• Behind-the-ear hearing aids: For users with more severe hearing loss or those with smaller ear canals, Behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTE) are a great solution. All the electronic parts in the hearing aids are in the case that sits behind your ear. A customized earmould and tube direct sound into the ear. You can easily control volume and select programs on most BTEs.

Over the years, hearing aids have been getting smaller and smaller, the smallest hearing aids, the so called invisible hearing aids, are so tiny that they are practically invisible. Even modern BTEs are exceptionally discreet.