You may be among the millions of people who are suffering from some kind of hearing impairment. Even though, you have hearing problems, you need not worry now as there is a great variety of hearing aids available in the market. The technologies used in these hearing aids are sophisticated and thus offer great results.
However, selecting a good hearing aid is the most important problem faced by people today as there are immeasurable varieties of hearing aids available in the market. Choosing the digital hearing aids can be easy when you keep the blow given tips in mind.
Style
There are many different styles in hearing aids. The level and type of hearing impairment will determine the style, which suits you the most. You should consult an audiologist before selecting a hearing aid so that you can find the style that suits you the most. The hearing aids can be classified into five types according to the styles.
CIC – CIC stands for ‘completely in the canal’ hearing aids. the device will completely fit into the ear canal and will not be seen. However, the tiny size of the model makes it impossible to accommodate many features.
ITC – ITC stands for ‘in the canal’ hearing device. The model will be barely seen as most part of the device will be inside the canal.
ITE – ITE stands for ‘in the ear’ hearing aids. They fit into the outer portion of the ear. Even though the device is more visible, the ease of use is higher.
BTE – BTE stands for ‘behind the ear’ hearing aids. The device will be placed in the outer ear and the major portion of the device will be on the backside. They will be similar to the mobile headphones in the make.
Another major style is the ‘open ear’ hearing aids. They make use of a small tube for sending sound to ear canal.
Basic features
The hearing aids will have certain basic features. Microphone, amplifier and speaker components are common for all hearing aids. Battery is another significant component present in all hearing aids. The battery back up of the device will greatly depend on the size, number of features offered and the usage.
Digital or analog
Another main choice, you have to make is whether you want an analog hearing aid or digital one. Analog hearing aids were the ones that were introduced into the market first. As the technology advanced, the digital models were introduced. The digital aids were extremely costly in the beginning. However, the prices have come down considerably in the recent times.
Accessories
The advancement in technology has also brought about many innovations in the hearing aids. The accessories offered along with the hearing aids have the aim of making their usage easy. Remote control for adjusting the volume and other features is the major among these accessories. Even adaptors that help the people in using them with the cell phones and telephones are also offered.
Hearing aid brands
Brands should also be taken into consideration when you are choosing hearing aids. Hearing aids offered by reputable brands should be chosen as only they can withstand the test of time. The branded hearing aids will also come with great warranties and guarantees.
Keeping these tips in mind will help you in selecting a hearing aid that will suit you the best.
Sam Allcock is a specialist in providing hearing aids for all of us.
Written by admin on August 30th, 2010 with no comments.
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With the hundreds of different brands of hearing aids that are available today and all the different digital hearing aid costs to take into consideration, it can definitely get to be quite confusing when it comes to the matter of deciding on a single type of hearing aid to get. Well for the best digital hearing aids, it is important to look at a few types in particular.
There are always new digital hearing aids being released, but as for the best digital hearing aids today, these are the best digital hearing aids that are available now.
Melody A1
For the best digital hearing aids, one that always tops the list is this model, the Melody A1. This is an open fit hearing aid that is relatively and which is definitely worth checking out. It is a great value hearing aid so for those people who are not covered by insurance and who know that they are going to have to pay out of pocket.
There are some terrific features that are offered by this digital hearing aid, such as the free custom programming. This is great because it means that users are able to adjust the hearing aid whenever and however they want. Another great thing about this hearing aid is that it covers a wide range of hearing loss including problems with normal conversations.
Rexton Cobalt 16 RIC
Another of the best digital hearing aids is this model by Rexton. There are some great features that are offered by this hearing, which show why it is rated as one of the best. There is a push button, wireless technology, automatic equalizer, soundsmoothing, windnoise cancellation, natural loudness compensation, power-on-delay, and low battery warning which is great because then you don’t need to worry about using a battery tester and you can always be sure that your hearing aid battery is running at full power.
These are just two examples of the different hearing aid devices that are available today, and anyone with a hearing loss problem needs to make sure that they check out as many hearing aids as possible so that they can see what each has to offer and know that they are choosing the right hearing aid based on their hearing loss problem and their specific needs.
Checking for insurance to cover hearing aids is also important, because then there is a lot more freedom with the amount of money a person has to work with and the better hearing aid that they can get in turn.
Written by admin on August 22nd, 2010 with no comments.
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There are a number of hearing aid supplies that are worth having because they can considerably help improve the quality of hearing and also keep your hearing aid in good working condition. An item such as a hearing aid sanitizer is a case in point and the utility of this essential hearing aid supplies lies in the fact that it helps in keeping the hearing aid as well as earmolds clean as well as smelling fresh at all times. For as few as approximately six dollars, this simple item of hearing aid supply can help improve the quality of hearing as well as improve the longevity of your hearing aid.
Eliminate Feedback
Sometimes, your hearing aid may have problems such as feedback or your hearing aid may not fit in well into your ear. In such cases, there is another simple item of hearing aid supplies that you can use which are soft wrap fit strips that cost as little as approximately nine dollars for a strip of ten and which will go a long way in insuring proper fit as well as help in eliminating feedback.
There are even items of hearing aid supplies that help to protect as well as promote the health of your ear canals and which also come in handy should you develop sores inside your ears, or which can be applied to soothe irritated skins. This item of hearing aid supplies is the DermAid cream that costs as little as fifteen dollars (ten dollars at a discount) and it is certainly very useful in preventing irritation for your tender and sensitive ear canals.
A common problem with hearing aids is that the person does not know for sure when their batteries have run out of power. To solve this problem, you can check out another useful item of hearing aid supplies which is a digital battery tester which can test all makes of hearing aid batteries and provide an accurate digital readout and for as few as nine dollars, you could solve the problem of not knowing when the hearing aid’s batteries have begun to lose their power. You may even need to think about using hearing aid supplies such as physician’s ear wax remover to help remover ear wax that generally builds up inside the ear canals and which could otherwise impair your hearing by clogging the hearing aid and also reducing their effectiveness.
Typically, a physician’s ear wax remover comes with drops that help dissolve the wax and there is also included a washer to help remove the liquid through its vacuum action. Thus, by spending a little bit on various items of hearing aid supplies, you can ensure that you get the most out of your hearing aid, while also keeping your ears and skin well protected and clean.
Written by admin on August 14th, 2010 with no comments.
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Thus, for them, without getting the best expert view for example those provided by hearing aid reviews it will be unclear how best to match needs with available hearing aids and it might also not be easy to grasp how modern hearing aid technology may be of further benefit to them. With big names such as Starkey, Beltone, Phonak and Siemens each offering several different makes and models, you’ll actually be at your wit’s end trying to determine that is one with the best hearing aid on your particular needs – if you probably did not have some dependable source of information to offer you facts and details.Benefits of consulting hearing aid reviews is knowing the manufacturers, their hearing aids, the right hearing aid and also learn from some useful tips about how to not just choose a hearing aid, but in addition, how to care for it in order to ensure that it provides useful service over an extended period of time.
Digital hearing aids come in many styles and sizes. The 4 basic styles are completely-in-the-canel (CIC), in-the-canal (ITC), in-the-ear (ITE) and behind-the-ear (BTE). The first three styles are custom made as an impact of the ear opening needs to be taken for creating the hearing aid shell. The species of hearing aid you select should be according to the species of hearing loss you have. A hearing care professional may help you select and that is best for you. Generally, the tiniest units aren’t strong enough to deliver for severe or profound hearing loss. If you’re first tested and fitted for your hearing aids, your audiologist will measure the hearing aids performance over several sound frequencies and against a variety of backgrounds. This can be sure that your hearing aids performance is optimized for as wide a range of environments as possible.The manufacturer of your hearing aids will adjust their programming towards setting recommended by your audiologist, and whenever you receive them, your hearing aids performance are going to be dictated by those factory settings. But things may have changed between time you were tested and some time you truly received your hearing aid, so your hearing aids performance will not be what you had anticipated.
Hearing aids vary in price as per selected style, electronic features, and related needs for professional consultation and rehabilitation services. A guideline is that hearing aid costs increase with more complex and complicated circuitry and smaller size. Purchase price, an important factor, ought to be only one consideration in buying hearing aids. Product reliability can save repair costs as well as the frustration of the malfunctioning hearing aid. Cost of a specific form of battery used by the hearing aid and the rate at which the battery needs to be replaced also influence the cost of owning and maintaining a hearing aid. Batteries may last from several days to several weeks subject to the power requirements of the help, the species of battery, and whether the help is used routinely with an assistive listening devices. Each person’s hearing loss presents unique characteristics. The expertise of your audiologist about product quality and the monitoring and follow-up services you’ll need are important considerations in your purchase decision.
Written by admin on August 6th, 2010 with no comments.
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Facts about Hearing Aids—-added 21 october.
With improvements in hearing aid technology the hearing aids of today are capable of adjusting and performing practically on their own in many environments, but there are some tips to help make the most of your hearing aids.
First of all hearing aids do not work in a drawer. They only work in your ears. Your hearing aids must be inserted in the appropriate ear and worn consistently to receive the maximum benefit from your hearing aids. Your hearing aids can get lost so they should be in your ears or in a case to reduce the probability of loss or damage. Pets are a number one cause of damage so make sure your hearing aids are out of their reach.
For your hearing aids to function they must have working batteries inserted. With current technology your hearing aids will give a low battery warning when it is time to replace them. Like all batteries hearing aid batteries are toxic if ingested so make sure that they are stored in an area away from pets and children.
Hearing aids must be cleaned so every night after removing your hearing aids you should clean them using the provided cleaning tools. This is performed by gently scooping any debris out of the center of the earbud or the canal end of the hearing aid for custom models. Some hearing aids have wax filters under the earbud or on the receiver end of the hearing aid that will need to be changed periodically.
Hearing aids must be placed in the correct ear (s) all hearing aids are specific to the right or left ear. They must be inserted into the appropriate ear for maximum hearing benefit and to ensure that they do not fall out. Your hearing aids may need adjusted/programmed.
After wearing hearing aids for a few days or months you may notice some sounds or voices are not adequately amplified or over amplified. The nice thing about current technology is that most issues can be resolved with simple computerized adjustments or reprogramming of the hearing aids. Another thing to keep in mind is that you should have your hearing evaluated annually to check the stability of your hearing loss. If there is a change in hearing sensitivity your hearing aids can usually be adjusted accordingly.
Some hearing aids have the capability of putting multiple environmental programs in them that are accessed via a button. By simply tapping the button the hearing aid will change into a preprogrammed setting that is appropriate for your current environment. Understanding your hearing aid and its capabilities is an important aspect to hearing aid success.
Hearing loss affects millions of Americans and many of those feel the social aspects that can accompany a hearing loss. Hearing aids can help lessen social withdrawal and increase enjoyment of activities that were once a big part of life, helping people to stay in touch with their surroundings. They also not only increase quality of life for the wearer, but also for their friends and family. Hearing loss affects the one with it, but it also affects everyone around them.
So with current hearing aid technology and appropriate care hearing aid wearers of today should enjoy the benefits of reconnecting with their world by hearing what they have been missing.
Written by admin on July 29th, 2010 with no comments.
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With the exception of audiologists and the rare hearing enthusiast, most people don’t find the topic of hearing aids of much interest. So when a hearing aid gets as much buzz as Lyric has, it’s hard to ignore. The Lyric hearing aid has been covered by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Good Morning America, The Doctors, and Dr. Oz. It’s also been written about by bloggers and forum members throughout the world. As with anything that receives this much attention, some of the information out there is accurate, while much of it isn’t. As an independent audiologist, and one of a couple hundred clinicians actually fitting Lyric on patients, I offer you my perspective.
THE CLAIMS ABOUT LYRIC:
“Lyric is completely invisible.” – MOSTLY TRUE – Over the years, the term “invisible” has been used quite liberally to describe certain styles of hearing aids, when in reality the terms “very small” and “less noticeable than other hearing aids” should have probably been used. But for the first time in history, the term “invisible” can be used without reservation. In the majority of patients, the device is placed so far into the ear canal that you really can’t see it, even if you look for it. However, in patients with shallow ear canals, you can clearly see a portion of it (if you look for it).
“Lyric devices are replaced every 3-4 months.” – SOMETIMES TRUE – The device has been approved by the FDA for patient use for a period of up to 4 months. But most devices die prior to reaching their 4-month birthday. The cause of death is usually related to moisture reaching the power source and shorting out the aid, or corrosion/blockage caused by excessive earwax. In some patients, that occurs between the 3rd and 4th months. In others, it may occur significantly earlier.
“Lyric has no battery” – FALSE – All hearing devices use power and therefore, use a battery. The power has to come from somewhere, and most hearing aid users don’t want to be tied to a wall outlet. The difference is that Lyric doesn’t use a typical hearing aid battery, and there are no batteries for the wearer to change. It has a built-in power source that cannot be replaced. When the battery dies – the device is no longer usable. So instead of changing a hearing aid battery every week or so, the whole device is changed every couple months.
“Lyric is an analog hearing aid.” – ABSOLUTELY TRUE – While most modern hearing aids use digital circuitry, Lyric uses an analog amplification circuit. Digital technology consumes more power than analog. It would take a gigantic battery to power a digital hearing aid circuit for as long as 3-4 months, Lyric needs to be small to actually fit into the ear canal, so there’s not room for a gigantic battery – hence the analog circuit.
“Lyric is old/inferior technology.” – FALSE – This claim is often made by audiologists and hearing aid dispensers who don’t have access to Lyric. They hear the term “analog” and equate it to hearing aids from the 1970s. It doesn’t work that way. Many digital features used in modern hearing aids are required to compensate for the unnatural placement of a hearing aid. With Lyric being placed 4mm from the eardrum, the natural acoustics and resonance of the ear are maintained, allowing it to compete with and often out-perform top-of-the-line digital hearing aids.
“Lyric’s subscription model is a product of corporate greed.” – FALSE – Some critics, mostly outside the hearing industry, look at Lyric’s subscription model as a blatant attempt to acquire more money. While the intent of any business is to make money, I present that the subscription model is the only practical method of purchase in this case. Lyric actually offers a non-subscription/per-device payment option. If you want to pay $300-$400 for a single device, you can. But you’re not going to be happy if that device dies in three weeks instead of three months? The subscription model eliminates the financial frustration associated with premature device failure.
“Lyric does not work for a lot of people.” – TRUE – InSound Medical, the manufacturer of Lyric, claims that approximately 50% of all hearing aid candidates are not good Lyric candidates. This may be due to ear anatomy, degree of hearing loss, lifestyle, or general health conditions. I have also found that a patient may start out as a good Lyric candidate, only to find out that they have a type of earwax (liquid cerumen) that consistently destroys the device prematurely. That’s one reason the 30-day trial period is important. In my experience, Lyric may not be for everyone (or even most people), but most of the people who try it – love it.
It’s very easy to care for your hearing aids. Proper care for your hearing aids can help them last longer and lower the necessities for hearing aid repairs.
Basics of Hearing Aid Care
Movable Parts of Your Hearing Aids
Battery Door
The battery doors of your hearing aids are used everyday. When you’re not using your hearing aids, you should open the battery doors. Because of the oils on your skin dirt and grime can build up around the edges of the battery doors. Use the brush provided by your hearing aid specialist to clean around the edges of the battery doors.
Volume Control
The volume controls of your hearing aids are used even more than your battery doors. The same problem exists with the oils on skin causing a build up of dirt and grime. This dirt and grime not only gets on top of the volume control, it also gets underneath the volume wheel eventually causing the volume control to fail. This can be stopped once again by using the brush your hearing aid specialist provided for you. Be sure to clean underneath the volume wheel as much as possible with the brush. The volume wheel should turn as you clean it so brush both clockwise and counter-clockwise.
Switches
Some hearing aids have telephone switches and very old hearing aids may have noise reduction switches (which were pretty useless thus only old hearing aid have them). The same situation applies here about oil from the skin and grime getting on the switch. Again use your brush to clean the hearing aids with the switch in both positions.
If one of your hearing aids is making a buzzing sound and you cannot hear any amplification, check the telephone switch and make sure it’s not toggled to telephone.
Memory Buttons
More memory buttons are found on hearing aids now as opposed to toggle switches. Some hearing aids can use up to five memories for various environments. I never cared for these options as many patients were confused by them. Most patients also selected one memory they thought sounded good and stuck with that one memory. Multi-memory hearing aids slow down actual adjustment of proper amplification of sound and speech via hearing aids. How would you like it if your “normal” hearing sounded different to you even one out of two times in the same noise environment. Be difficult to get used to wouldn’t it?
But, this is about care. So use your brush on the memory button as well once again due to the oils on your skin and grime forming on the memory button eventually working its way into the circuitry. Memory buttons don’t go bad as often as toggle switches due, but it does happen and with proper care some of these repairs can be avoided.
Moisture
Moisture can affect any electronic device. Imagine storing your television in an environment of salt water and ear wax and expecting it to function perfectly without any professional care. That’s the same environment your hearing aids are in up to 16 hours a day. A moisture guard box in which the hearing aids are stored over night will help cut problems due to moisture.
If either of your hearing aids is intermittent, in other words shuts off and turns on on its own and the problem seems to repair itself when you let it sit out of your ear for a period of time, only to shut down again after being in your ear, this can be a moisture problem.
DO NOT put your hearing aids in the microwave to dry them out. It’s true, people have tried this. Placing your hearing aids in the microwave will fry the circuitry.
Microphone
Microphones are very small. They’re found on the faceplates of the hearing aids. The part that faces out when they’re in your ears. The microphones are the tiny holes you see in your hearing aids. They’ll either be one or two holes. Sometimes the microphone are covered by a mic inlet screen which helps to catch dirt flying through the air. The screens have tiny holes in them to let the sound in, but they can clog up with dirt.
Use your brush on the microphones but do not force the brush into the holes where the microphones are located. Avoid using hairspray with your hearing aids in your ears. You might even wait for your hair to dry out from any moisture from the hairspray.
Sound Tube
The sound tubes are how the sound comes out of your hearing aids and into your ears. Sounds tubes plug up more from ear wax and dry skin more than any other part on hearing aids. By nature, the gland which produces ear wax, the cerumen gland, is designed to point out the of your ear so the ear wax will flow out and is less likely to cause an impaction. Sound must go in. Ear wax must come out. See the problem?
There are some hearing aids which have wax guard protectors of various types. Some of these are patient changeable. If you know you’re battery is good but you are getting little to no volume then change your wax guard. If you do not have a wax guard, use the wire end of your brush or the wired cleaning tool your hearing aids came with to gently clean the wax out of the end of the hearing aid where the sound comes out. This is the end which goes into your ear.
In the case of hearing aids with comfort tips, which also stop feedback or whistling of the hearing aids, these can simply be removed and snap another one right back on. While you have it off run a thin wire or needle through the horizontal red (for right) or blue (for left) hole where the sound comes out of the hearing aids. This should clear any wax that the comfort tip hasn’t caught.
Shell
The shell or outside of your hearing aids is made out of a special hypo-allergenic plastic which is less likely to cause an allergic reaction. If your ears becomes red and very dry after use or red and wet after use where ever the hearing is touching, stop wearing the hearing aids and contact your hearing instrument specialist. This is very rare The main concern is keeping the hearing aids clean. There are cleaning solutions that can be purchased, but in most cases a tissue to dry your hearing aids and wipe them off is sufficient.
Conclusion
This sounds like a lot of work, but a lot of scenarios have been covered here. Just remember your basic cleaning discussed here and keeping your hearing aids dry.
About The Author
Comfort tip no whistle hearing aids are now being featured at Global Hearing Services.
J. Richard Kirkham has been in the hearing health care industry for over 20 years. He now owns and operates http://GlobalHearingServices.com A central hub for hearing loss, hearing information, tinnitus, and low cost, high performance hearing aids. Support his efforts by visiting Global Hearing Services. Feel free to join his FREE hearing help forum Ask A Hearing Aid Expert.
Written by admin on July 13th, 2010 with no comments.
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People that are just starting to lose their hearing or have mild to medium hearing loss can benefit from disposable hearing aids. Not only can you save money with disposable hearing aids but they also have the same characteristics and quality as traditional ones. An ear expert will test your hearing to make sure that a disposable hearing aid would be right for you and then give you a prescription.
Throw away hearing aids are a diminutive, mushroom like, soft cap that goes inside the ear canal like traditional hearing aids. There life expectancy is up to forty days, the battery dies and you throw them away. There are many advantages that disposable hearing aids have over traditional ones such as:
1. There is no long wait while they manufacture the traditional hearing aids. A disposable hearing aid is available as soon as you fill your prescription.
2. When the battery expires in a disposable hearing aid, you throw it out and buy a new one.
3. People with arthritis or that have issues with changing the traditional hearing aid batteries benefit from disposable hearing aids as they just throw them out and purchase a new one.
4. Because you only wear throw away hearing aids for a month or two, there is not the wax buildup or canal blockage that can occur from regular hearing aids.
5. There is no upkeep or maintenance with disposable hearing aids so no further expenses like traditions ones and if there is a problem with the disposable ones, just take them back for fast replacement.
6. Instead of having to dish out a lot of bucks to purchase a custom hearing aid, the disposable ones cost approximately a dollar a day. This is far more affordable especially for anyone the lives on a budget.
One drawback is that sometimes a disposable hearing aid is not as comfy as traditional hearing aids as they not custom made and fitted.
Disposable hearing aids are very helpful and affordable for those with hearing problems. Visit our site for more details on hearing aids prices and more.
Written by admin on July 6th, 2010 with no comments.
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One of the main challenges facing a person who needs hearing devices or who is seeking to replace an existing one is hearing aid costs. Although it may be argued that certain factors such as hearing tests and the technology used are responsible for prices being what they are, it is of little comfort to those who need one. Here are some of the factors affecting the cost of hearing devices:
Technology used.
Hearing instrument are usually either analogue or digital. There are also sonic hearing devices available. These analogue devices are simple in terms of the technology used and only amplify sound at a basic level. At present devices made using this technology are generally less expensive than a comparative device using a different technology.
The advances in technology over the last thirty years have led to a marked improvement in the quality of instruments on the market. Digital hearing aids have opened up new horizons as to what can be done with these devices. The cost of one of these instruments is another thing. They tend to be on the expensive side even though it can be argued that with the improved sound quality, amplification, and noise reduction the cost is very much worth it. There are however manufacturers that offer some of these digital devices at a reasonable cost depending on whether you need one within a particular range.
For certain technological features including Bluetooth, volume control, wireless, and directional microphones once they are added to the hearing piece then the price will go up dramatically. If a hearing device comes with many of these features chances are it will cost a lot more than if it had just the basic ones.
Battery life of hearing devices.
Hearing aid batteries are the lifeline of each device as without them nothing will be heard. Depending on the hearing device being used the size of the battery will differ. The battery life of hearing devices generally fall within the four days to three weeks range. This means that the battery will have to be replaced on a regular basis. Prices however are just about the same across the board.
The hearing instruments warranty.
Most hearing device comes with a warranty especially if it is bought from a reputable company or audiologist. Warranties can be just for a year or one can be had for more. Most devices come with a standard one year warranty and if the purchaser wants it extended then they will have to pay more for it. Warranties are a cost to the hearing instrument manufacturers and this cost is usually borne indirectly by the consumer.
Many people who need hearing aids are not able to afford them and others have questioned why the prices of these devices are where they are. Some health service providers may cover the cost, or part of it, of hearing aids. This will mainly affect seniors who are among the largest group of hearing aid users. In spite of the present hearing aid costs it is still possible to find reasonably priced devices but it requires some research to do so.
Written by admin on June 28th, 2010 with no comments.
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Like many appliances hearing aids, even the best brands may suffer from a glitch. If your hearing aid has become less effective or stopped working altogether then there are simple tests to see if you can fix it yourself.
First you can check if your hearing aid is working by cupping the hearing aid in your hand, you should then hear a faint whistling noise. This whistling lets you know that the hearing aid is working.
However if you don’t hear this noise then the first and probably obvious solution is to change the battery; this should be done even if you have recently put a new one in. If you continue to have problems with your hearing aid then it might be easier and cheaper to invest in a hearing aid battery tester.
ITE (In The Ear) and CICs (Completely In the Canal)
A common problem with these types of hearing aids are that the wax filters can become blocked. To stop this from happening they would need to be cleaned using a cleaning brush or a soft tissue each night. Care should be taken though as some wax filters have a fine wire mesh and it is best advised not to use a brush on this but a tissue instead.
For best performance optimisation the wax filter should be replaced once every three to five weeks depending on the individual’s build up of wax. All hearing aids have different wax filters so be sure to check what make your hearing aid is before you purchase any new filters.
Hearing aids should be kept in a dry place as moisture is one of the biggest problems with hearing aids the best way to avoid this problem would be to get a dry aid kit.
Another common problem with these type of hearing aids is the keeping the microphone clean. Microphones need to be clear and can be found next to the battery door. To keep it clean the microphone can only be cleaned with the cleaning brush to gently brush the wax away. Under no circumstances should anything else be used, especially needles or pins to clear away the wax.
BTE (Behind The Ear)
With these types of hearing aids the dome should be checked before the tubing. Most over time can and will get blocked up with wax. To stop it getting blocked up use either a cleaning brush or a soft tissue to clear the wax away from the dome each night. To make sure the dome is free of wax you can use the technique described above to see if the hearing aid is whistling.
Typically domes should be replaced every 6-8 weeks but check the make and size as these vary from hearing aid to hearing aid.
Having checked the dome, the tubing should be checked to see if it is clear and clean of wax. If this becomes a problem then the tube should be replaced, if you have no extra tubes then again make sure to check the make and size as they vary.
RITE (Receiver In The Ear)
The only difference between a RITE hearing aid and a BTE hearing aid is that the RITE has a receiver at the end of the tubing. Receivers are normally very reliable but there are occasions where it is actually the receiver that is creating the problem. If this is the case then it is best to call your audiologist and request a new receiver.
It is normal for all hearing aids to have their own ‘noise’ although the noise does vary from aid to aid. However if the level of noise increases or is uncomfortable then you should speak to your audiologist.
Having followed this advice if your hearing aid still isn’t working then it will have to be sent to the manufacturer for repair under your warranty. For the best prices and most up to date technology then visit Natural Hearing they are open seven days a week from 9am to7pm and can be contacted on 0800 228 9865 or visit their website at www.naturalhearing.co.uk
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