How to choose a hearing aid
When choosing a hearing aid, it is vital to consider the severity of hearing impairment, preferences, and age of the wearer, doctors said. Gazeta.Ru has found out what to look for when buying such a device. techsmartinfo
Who needs a hearing aid
Before making a purchase of a hearing aid, you need to
consult an audiologist - a specialist who diagnoses and corrects hearing
impairments in patients of different ages.
Buying a hearing aid on your own in an online store, on
Avito, on Yulia or other sites is just as absurd as buying glasses in an
underground passage based on your feelings, Anton Proshin, an audiologist at
the ENT Center of Doctor Stolyarov, told Gazeta.Ru ...
“If we draw a parallel with glasses, then we must also take
into account the fact that pathologies may require conservative therapy or
surgical intervention. A hearing aid is an electronic, programmable medical
prosthesis designed for electro-acoustic hearing correction. And to acquire
such a device without a specialist, without an audiologist, is at least unsafe,
”says Proshin.
The doctor creates an individual audiogram and makes a
diagnosis, on the basis of which he makes recommendations for the selection of
a device. Indications for the use of a hearing aid are irreversible hearing
impairment, hearing loss of varying severity, and deafness.
“A hearing aid is needed for everyone who has hard of
hearing, from a child to an adult. There are four degrees of hearing loss and
any of them needs to be compensated for, even if it is initial, ”Proshin is
sure.
In most cases, the patient needs to wear two hearing aids at
the same time, he said.
“One hearing aid is used only when the second ear is normal,
or deafness, or ENT pathology, for example, otitis media. Then we are talking
about one hearing aid, but in all other cases, two are needed, ”the expert
explained.
Types of hearing aids
There are in-ear, behind-the-ear and open hearing aids. The
in-ear models are the smallest, they are located deep in the ear canal and it
is practically invisible.
These devices are custom made to best fit the shape of the
ear canal and the personality of the hearing loss.
However, in-ear models have their drawbacks. For example,
short battery life and minimal functionality. In addition, they should not be
used by people who have a damaged eardrum.
The price for these hearing aids starts from 30 thousand
rubles and can reach 120 thousand rubles.
BTE hearing aids are suitable for users of all ages and with
all types of hearing loss. Such models are the largest of all.
The device is easy to adjust using the buttons on the case,
and it also has a longer runtime due to the large battery. In addition, they stay
more durable and often come with additional features such as Bluetooth or radio
support.
“The behind-the-ear type has two subspecies: the classic
one, where all the elements are located in the body, and the device with a
receiver in the ear. The first option is usually very cumbersome. The second
form factor is smaller, because one part is in the ear. Due to this, the
behind-the-ear part is less noticeable, ”said Proshin.
You can buy a behind-the-ear hearing aid for 10 thousand
rubles. - this is the average price of the device.
Open hearing aids are worn in the auricle. They are less
noticeable than behind-the-ear models and have more functionality than in-ear
models.
“Behind-the-ear devices compensate from the first degree of
hearing loss to the fourth, bordering on deafness. Intra-aural compensates up
to the third degree, ”said Proshin.