There are many factors that must be taken into consideration when deciding which style of hearing instrument would be the best for you.   I always tell people that the VERY most important thing about your hearing instrument is that YOU want to wear it.  (And of course, that you do).    We must be diligent in other considerations also. 

First are the results of your hearing evaluation.  It is not just about how you hear the tones.   Much information is provided by the results of speech discrimination tests.  Test that are done in noise will reveal the type of technology that will yield the best speech understanding with hearing aids.  This also will provide information on which style hearing instrument is the best. 

Hearing instruments that fit over the ear analyze and process the sound a little different than those that fit in the ear.  They affect our own voice differently than hearing instruments that fit in the ear.  The ones that fit in the ear may fill up the whole ear or be so small that it is nearly invisible and sits deep in the ear canal near the eardrum.  

All hearing instruments can use batteries, but; only certain styles can be rechargeable.   They can be wireless, Bluetooth or wired.  They may have Artificial Intelligence (AI) sensors to rapidly analyze and learn the sounds and noise in your environment.   Starkey is the only manufacturer to produce a “custom” Bluetooth Rechargeable hearing aid.   They can have one microphone to pick up sounds or multiple.  They can have one sound processor to control background noise or up to 8 processors to specifically identify speech in many types of background noise.  Starkey’s top technology hearing instruments also have gyroscopes in them to communicate with the AI sensors your head position. Thus, what you are looking at and trying to understand.

Again... the most important factor is that you put on the hearing instruments and wear them.  Some people are frustrated with having instruments over the ear and wearing glasses and an oxygen tube up there together…it can just be miserable.  

Your Hearing Health Care Provider should assist you in making the right decision.  Hopefully, you get to try on some different models.  Starkey Hearing Technologies ™ allows a little time for changes.   The give us 90 days from your fitting to change styles if the product picked needs to be exchanged.  Usually, a patient will know within just a few days if they are going to adapt to the chosen instruments.   This policy also helps to ease the worry of making the correct decision.   

So many choices.  Really though.... it’s not that difficult.  A Qualified Board-Certified Hearing Health Care Professional can help you get the best product for you.  If you are over the age of 50 it is recommended that you get annual hearing evaluations.  If you don’t have a hearing loss you should still get the hearing test to monitor your health.  Your hearing is one of your most important senses and provides much information about your health.   For example, your hearing test and consultation can reveal possible high cholesterol, impacted wax or cardiac issues.  If you have a family history of hearing difficulty, dementia, or diabetes then you should pick up the phone and make your hearing test appointment as soon as possible.   If you have any pain or fullness in the ear, then you should not hesitate to seek out a consultation. 

Remember, it’s not just about how loud a tone has to be for you to hear it.  It’s not just about a simple hearing test.  Your best hearing landscape will entail a thorough evaluation AND consultation. 

To Hear Better Is To Live Better!