A Guide to Hearing Aids

If your audiologist recommends you look at your hearing aid options, it’s natural to have a lot of questions and be concerned about how your lifestyle will change. That’s okay— hearing aids are constantly evolving and have many different options that can fit your needs and goals. Although your audiologist can recommend the best options for you, it’s important to know what to look for and how hearing aids can help.

Different Kinds of Hearing Aids

There are generally three different types of hearing aids that offer different levels of correction, concealability, and technology. These include:

• RIC, or receiver-in-the-canal, which is the most popular kind. The housing sits behind the ear and is connected by a thin wire to the receiver, which is inserted in the ear canal.
• BTE, or behind-the-ear, also houses the technology in a piece that sits behind the ear. However, it’s attached to a mold that fits within the shell of the ear and can be the best option for patients with decreased dexterity.
• ITE, or in-the-ear, fits entirely within the shell of the ear and offers the most concealability and discreetness.

In addition to style, each hearing aid type can vary in level of technology and added features so that you can pick the one that fits with your lifestyle best.

Choosing the Right Hearing Aid

When choosing your hearing aids, it’s important to consider your goals and needs. Some factors to consider include your cosmetic preferences, career demands, hobbies, dexterity and physical challenges, attitude about technology, budget, and other accessories required to use with it. This can help our audiologists to guide you to the right options.

Our audiologists can perform a fitting of your chosen hearing aids before they adjust or fine tune its levels. Most patients experience an adjustment period with hearing aids, so it’s common to feel uncomfortable or bothered by your hearing aids at first. However, you should be sure to follow your audiologist’s instructions for use as much as you can so that you can return to your regular lifestyle as quickly as possible.

Schedule a Consultation

Your first step in treating hearing loss is through an appointment with our audiologists who can recommend the right options for you. To schedule a consultation, contact our Tuscaloosa office by calling or filling out our online form.