Choose The Right Type Of Hearing Aid
During the hearing aid evaluation, your hearing care professional can help you decide which type of hearing aid is best for you. This depends on a range of factors that includes your hearing loss severity, lifestyle, physiology, and personal preferences.
MDHearingAid The most common types of hearing aids and how they sit in the ear.
Here are a few points to consider:
- Do you wear glasses and have an active lifestyle? You might prefer a hearing aid that firmly sits in the ear canal.
- Do you fear the stigma of wearing a hearing aid? See if an almost invisible completely-in-the-canal hearing aid works for you.
- Does your ENT expect your hearing loss to progress more rapidly? Choose a hearing aid that can keep pace with any changes in your hearing ability.
- Do you have moderate to severe hearing loss? A behind-the-ear or receiver-in-the-canal unit can provide more processing power and better amplification.
- Does your tinnitus bother you? Pick a hearing aid that can also treat the ringing in your ears.
- Do you struggle with dexterity? Get a hearing aid thats easy to control and maintain, possibly a rechargeable one.
- Do you travel a lot? Make sure your rechargeable hearing aid comes with a two-in-one charging and carrying case.
Learn more:How do hearing aids work?
Should I Change Dome Sizes
One of the biggest advantages of RIC hearing aids is their ability to adapt as your hearing changes. While it is very easy to change your own dome sizes and styles, the hearing aid programming is set for each dome type. Switching from an open to a closed dome without adjusting the hearing aid may not deliver the desired effect. Having the wrong dome on could cause many different sound quality issues. These could include thin and tiny sound, muffled sound, dull sound, or even slightly distorted sound. Consider speaking with your audiologist about your common listening environments and if different dome types would be beneficial. This will ensure that you are fully benefiting from the best combination of hearing aids and domes for the clearest sound quality.
Hearing Aid Maintenance: Cleaning And Retubing
Hearing aids need regular maintenance to ensure they continue to work well. We recommend cleaning your hearing aids with a wipe after you remove them at the end of the day.
Ear wax is an important lubricant to the ears but it can also block the hearing aid tubes resulting in a weaker or distorted sound. We recommend cleaning your hearing aid using a red cleaning wire if you suspect a blocked tube. Blocked tubes are the most common reason hearing aids stop working as well as they used to. Please order new cleaning wires by sending us a stamped addressed envelope and we will post you back supplies.
Ordering replacement tubes:
If the cleaning wire has not unblocked your tubes, send us a SAE and we will post replacement tubes out to you. We recommend getting new tubes on an as needed basis, but as a general rule it is a good idea to get your tubes changed every 6 months.
How to replace a tube
Pull the old tube out, and push the new one in. We recommend replacing one tube at a time, so the left and right tubes do not get mixed up. Do not remove the dome to clean it as it will weaken the connection to the tube, which may cause it to detach in your ear. If a dome does get stuck in your ear, visit your local minor injury unit or GP for safe removal.
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What Is The Difference Between Open And Closed Hearing Aid Domes
Hearing aid domes come in different sizes and can be both open and closed in style. There are several factors that your provider should take into consideration when selected the correct dome as no two ears are exactly alike. These factors include 1. Ear canal shape and size. 2. Degree of hearing loss 3. Retention considerations
Helpful Tips For Using Hearing Aid Domes
Receiver in the canal devices with domes are great devices that also require proper use and quality personal care.
We recommend changing the domes on your devices every three months, however that recommendation may vary based on how much wax you produce.
Do you want to get the best out of your hearing aid domes? Our hearing care professional, Dr. Zhanneta Shapiro has some helpful tips to help you achieve the best result.
- Try to clean your silicone tips every night after use. Simply wipe them down with insert the link to audio wipes from our store here to remove earwax and other debris and moisture from them.
- Replace hearing aid domes every 2-3 months. After this period has expired, silicone products do not cover the auditory canal so tightly, which negatively affects sound amplification. Fortunately, silicone tips are inexpensive, so periodic replacement wont hit your budget.
- Take your time when removing the receiver from the ear canal. If you do this too quickly and carelessly, the dome may get stuck inside.
- Do not use old hearing aid domes with new devices. Silicone products must be selected individually for each device, to minimize the risk of getting stuck in the ear canal.
Follow these simple guidelines, and your hearing aids will last for a long time. You will be able to enjoy great sound and communication with friends and family without any problems!
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Do Hearing Aids Need To Be Fitted
Hearing aids need to be fitted to each individual, because everyones hearing loss and physiology are unique. Moreover, most types of hearing loss are progressive and everyones hearing gets worse with age, meaning your hearing will continue to decline over time. Consequently, your hearing aids will need regular adjustments.
World Health Organization Hearing loss has many causes, and it affects all age groups, but you can often prevent it.
Uncorrected hearing loss can lead to social isolation, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, dementia, and more. Poorly fitted hearing aids might not stop these consequences, especially if you continue to have trouble understanding what people say. For that reason, its not only important to have a good initial fitting, but also regular checkups.
While a poorly fitted hearing aid could theoretically damage your hearing further, its unlikely with proper fitting. Just keep in mind that hearing aids amplify external sounds and emphasizing the wrong frequencies or turning the volume up too much could cause noise-induced hearing loss.
When Domes Go Missing
As soon as you notice a missing dome, have a listen out. Your ear is likely to feel full as though your ears are feeling congested.
If you are not sure whether your missing dome is lodged in your ear, visit your hearing specialist or your doctor to have a look through an otoscope.
If they find it there, they can remove the dome with a specialist tool.
Do not try to remove the dome from your own ears. You risk pushing the dome further in your ear and risking injury to your ear drum or risking infection.
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Want To Learn How To Change Your Hearing Aid Domes
Learning how to change hearing aid domes is an often overlooked, but essential component of caring for your device. Domes are pre-sized, disposable earpieces designed to be placed on the hearing aids thin tube or speaker. The hearing aid dome is the actual piece that goes into your ear and helps the device fit more comfortably. Continue reading to learn more about how to change hearing aid domes.
Oticon Minifit Hearing Aid Domes
$20.00
Domes are pre-sized, disposable earpieces that are placed on the hearing aids speaker to fit comfortably in the ear. The domes help the hearing aid stay in your ear and help protect the receiver of your hearing aid from wax blockages. They need to be changed every 3 to 6 months.
Domes are made of a soft rubber material and come in four sizes and four styles including:
Open domes
Power domes
Changing the domes
Change the domes by pulling the old one off , check the receiver is clean and give it a brush with the cleaning brush. Then push on the new dome.
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How To Prevent A Dome From Falling Off In Your Ear
As you likely do not ever want to repeat this from happening again, be sure that you are using the correct dome on your hearing aid . Also be sure to correctly insert the dome fully on the hearing receiver or tubing before inserting the hearing aid on your ear.
Ideally, each morning before you put the hearing aid in, give it a tug to ensure that the dome is tightly fastened to the hearing aid as it could have loosened overtime and to make sure that your dome is clean. If you have questions on how to clean the domes please see my article here.
If you absolutely never want this to happen ever again you could opt to switch to a custom made earmold. An earmold does not come off of the receiver wire without a great deal of effort. It essentially does the same job as a disposable dome except that it is reusable and custom fit to your ear.
If you think this might be a good option for you, you can have a custom earmold impression done at your audiologists clinic and an earmold ordered. The estimated cost is about $100 per mold, which may seem steep, but you will never have to buy a dome again.
How Do You Get A Good Fit With Hearing Aids
A poorly fit hearing aid wont help you hear better. Aside from giving you a bad impression of hearing aids, it could also make your hearing worse.
Getting a perfect fit isnt easy to do on your own. It requires precise measurements of your hearing ability, the right type of hearing aid for your hearing loss, and physically fitting each hearing aid to your ear. Lets unwrap everything you need to know to get perfectly fitted hearing aids.
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What Are The Cons Of Earmolds For Hearing Aids
Of course, hearing loss treatment should be determined on a case by case basis, and some people actually prefer the dome style hearing aid, reporting a greater level of comfort and less occlusion .
Your molded hearing aid might feel strange at first and take a while to get used to. However, people often find this to be the case with the first fitting of any hearing aid, so its not an issue specific to molded hearing aids.
As your ear shape can change slightly over time, the earmold will sometimes need a bit of re-adjusting. Your hearing aid earmold will need to be checked from time to time to ensure it still fits correctly.
When the ventilation is insufficient in the earmold, it can block the air in your ear canal completely. This can lead to high amounts of occlusion. Modifications to the ear mold can help this, as can hearing aid circuit changes.
You might also feel like your own voice sounds too loud also a sign that your earmold has a vent that is too small, and requires a larger one.
On the other hand, an earmold vent that is too large or in the wrong place can lead to the whistling noise or acoustic feedback previously mentioned. If this happens your hearing health professional might need to install a canal lock to secure the earmold firmly in place.
What Are Hearing Aid Domes Made From
The material of the domes is medical grade silicone. Which is specifically designed to not cause an allergic reaction, much less likely than for a custom earmold. But some patients can be allergic to the cleaning agent used to clean the dome. So check the ingredients of your cleaning fluid to ensure you are safe to use it.
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Earmolds For Noise Exposure
Earmolds can be beneficial for non-hearing aid users for the same reason that they normally do a good job of preventing occlusion in hearing aids. If you use custom earmolds for sound protection, they should give you a greater level of protection. A snug fit means that sound has a harder time entering your ear.
You can even get ones with an acoustical chamber that blocks most noise while still allowing you to understand speech. These are often used by sportspeople, musicians, and others operating in a noisy work environment.
A Good Fit Is Key To Good Sound
Contento encourages users to work with a hearing care professional to find the device that best addresses their particular hearing needs. An improper fit can affect your ability to hear clearly as well as cause pain or discomfort. It can also trigger feedback, causing a high-pitched whistling sound.
No two people process sound the same way so its important to make that determination on a case-by-case basis, he said.
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Different Hearing Aid Dome Options
There are three main shapes of dome:
- Open dome: This type of dome lets in some natural sound, resulting in better sound quality with increases in sharpness. However, it also reduces bass amplification, and hearing aids with open domes generally require a little more power, as some sound leaks out through the vents. This type of dome also prevents the occlusion effect, where the users voice sounds boomier, and is ideal for mild to moderate hearing loss. Feedback can be an issue for those with more moderate hearing loss.
- Closed dome: Also called a vented or tulip dome, a closed dome has less venting than an open dome, resulting in better amplification of lower frequency sounds. This reduces the sharpness in higher frequencies, however, but typically produces better results in those with moderate hearing loss.
- Power dome: For those with severe hearing loss, power domes are often the answer. These domes block up the hearing canal completely, allowing maximum amplification with minimal sound leakage. However, these increase bass and decrease sharpness significantly. Power domes also eliminate feedback.
Choosing the right shape of dome is vital for comfort and sound quality.
Looking After Your Hearing Aid Tubing
If your hearing aid has an ear mould you are most likely to have a plastic tube that has been cut and tapered to fit securely in your ear mould. At the other end the tube will attach to your hearing aid. This type of tubing will get brittle over time and will need replacing about every 6 months to keep it working efficiently. Moisture can be another element that causes a problem with this type of tubing. If you suffer a lot with perspiration, sweat or moisture build up around your hearing aids, there is a likelyness your hearing aid tubing will block up with moisture. This can be the case as well if there is no air circulation getting into the ear which is normally provided by a vent in the ear mould.
Some tubing are also made with a cut tapered end. This allows for easy application into your ear mould. A hearing aid tube is cut to fit the mould and also cut to measure up neatly to match up with the hearing aid. This allows the hearing aid to sit comfortably behind the ear. If the tubing is cut too short it can feel tight or if it is cut too long the tubing will make the hearing aid sit higher allowing it to move off the ear.
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Do Hearing Aids Have Bluetooth Technology
There are generally two types of hearing aid that can be paired using Bluetooth. The first offer direct connectivity to your mobile phone or other devices. The second option requires an accessory or app on your device. Our team can guide you to the right Bluetooth-compatible hearing aid for you at our Livingston office.
How To Insert Your Hearing Aid
Hearing aids are colour coded with red markers indicating the right aid and blue markers for the left. You will see the colour markers if you open the battery door.
How to turn your hearing aid on and off
The battery compartment is the on/off switch. When you put your hearing aid on, close the battery door. When you take your aid off, open the battery door to turn it off. If you have poor eyesight you can feel for the catch on the battery door, underneath the hearing aid.
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Ask For Optional Accessories
Different types of hearing aids come with different accessories.
RIC hearing aids require a tip, which is either a custom earmold or an instant-fit-dome. Both cover the receiver and anchor it in the ear canal. Domes come in different shapes and sizes. Your hearing care professional will choose one that fits your ear and your hearing loss, but you can ask to try out different sizes and types of domes. If you cant get used to the sound of your own voice , for example, you could switch from a closed-fit hearing aid to an open-fit hearing aid.
Widex hearing aid carrying case and charger , Signia 2-in-1 charging and carrying case , and Oticon charging station .
You can also get a hearing aid tube for RICs and BTEs. The tube extends from behind the receiver and folds into the outer ear. It provides additional support, in case the main hearing aid unit drops out while you take off your glasses or your mask.