While one in six Australians live with hearing loss, hearing aids provide one of the most effective ways to manage hearing loss. When fitted properly, hearing aids can be life-changing. They can help to protect your health, improve your overall quality of life and give you back the ability to communicate with the important people in your life.
The incredible advances in technology have transformed the hearing aid market. People have more choice than ever before when it comes to selecting a hearing aid, whether they have mild, moderate or even a very severe hearing loss. Consumers can now make their choices based on personal taste, lifestyle and technological features as well as ensuring the hearing aid suit their type of hearing loss. Other factors that people often consider important when choosing a hearing aid include:
Hearing aids cannot cure your hearing loss, but they can help to improve your hearing health and keep you connected to the people and life you love. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your hearing aids.
Basic level hearing aids start from around $1,000 per aid, making them a considerable financial investment. This makes it important that you compare offers, read independent reviews online regarding both the hearing provider and hearing aid – and don’t be afraid to ask questions. There is a wide variety of hearing aids available at a range of prices. However, not all of the features will be suitable for you, so think carefully about your hearing needs that you wish to address.
Find a hearing care professional who will carry out a thorough hearing evaluation. They should ask you questions about your lifestyle, health and medication history, your preferences and what you wish to achieve from your hearing aids. They will carry out a comprehensive hearing test to identify your specific type of hearing loss and discuss with you the best treatment to suit your needs.
Once your hearing evaluation has been completed, ask your hearing care professional to talk you through your audiogram (a graphic representation of the hearing test results) so you understand your specific hearing loss. If you need a hearing aid, your hearing care professional should discuss with you the range of hearing aids available and the different prices.
A comprehensive fitting ensures your new hearing aids fit your ears correctly, provide the amplification you need and don’t move. Make sure your hearing care professional uses real-ear measurements to test the hearing aids on your ears. The hearing aids should make different levels of noise and speech loud enough for you to be able to hear well and comfortably in different listening situations.
It's important to wear your hearing aids full time in your daily life. As you do this, you will most likely find your hearing aids will need to be adjusted or fine tuned to better meet your needs. This is typical and it's important you understand what your aftercare covers.
Hearing aid technology continues to improve at a great rate offering a range of functions and features. There will be a hearing aid to suit your hearing loss, lifestyle and preferences and your hearing care professional will help you find it.
It's time to finally treat your hearing loss. Sign up for a free consultation with a licensed hearing care professional today to determine if you have hearing loss. It’s the start of your journey towards better hearing.
EarPros benefits:
