Hearing Aids

How Do I Know if I Need Hearing Aids?

The best way to find out if you could benefit from wearing hearing aids is through testing for audiology and hearing loss. Because of the typically gradual onset, hearing loss may not be recognized by the person who suffers from it. Hearing aids are beneficial for those suffering from hearing loss.

Signs that you may need hearing aids to improve your hearing include:

• Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
• Missing parts of conversations or confusing words that are spoken
• People around you begin expressing concern about your hearing
• Difficulty hearing phone conversations
• Avoiding social situations due to difficulties with hearing
• Turning up TV or radio volume to levels that others find too loud
• Difficulty following conversations when background noise is present or in a group
• Ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus hearing loss)
• Trouble hearing outdoor noises, such as the wind or birds

If you are experiencing these symptoms, contact the professional audiologists at Fort Worth ENT for an evaluation.

Hearing Aid Options and Features

Invisible or nearly invisible hearing aids are fitted deeply inside your ear canal to mimic capturing sounds as an ear is designed to do. Generally, no one realizes or notices you are wearing it. You may wear glasses and use a phone or headset with ease. These hearing aids may not be appropriate for patients with curvy or small ear canals. Hearing aids also come in larger styles that fit behind and over the ear, appropriate for all hearing loss and all ages. All hearing aids use very small batteries that last 5 to 14 days. While any style of hearing aid can improve hearing loss, it is important to find the one that best suits your needs.

In-The-Canal (ITC)

• Covers ear canal entrance – molded to fit partially into your ear canal
• Nearly invisible on front view
• Small in size (harder to handle than ITE, but easier than CIC)
• Replace batteries approximately every 1 to 2 weeks
• Improves mild to moderately severe hearing loss

Receiver-In-The-Canal (RIC)

• Small, quick-fitting, lightweight
• Less visible than hearing aids with custom ear molds
• A receiver fits in the ear canal, connected by a thin earwire to the housing unit behind the ear
• No hard dials or buttons
• Appropriate for mild to severe hearing loss
• Batteries are replaced every 1 to 2 weeks

Completely-In-The-Canal (CIC)

• Smallest hearing aid available
• Nearly invisible – molded just for you and fits deeply inside your ear canal
• May not be appropriate for individuals with diabetes, kidney disease, poor circulation, severe hearing loss, or prone to infections
• Replace small battery approximately every 5 to 7 days

In-The-Ear (ITE)

• All components of this hearing aid are custom-made to fit within the bowl (concha) of your ear.
• Two styles available – one that fills the concha and one that fills the lower portion of the concha
• Includes volume control not available on smaller hearing aids
• More difficult to talk on the phone – may be made easier with specialized technology
• Suitable for wide range of hearing loss
• Replace battery every 1 to 2 weeks

Behind-The-Ear (BTE)

• Hearing aid hooks over the top of your ear (resting behind the ear); the small tube attached to the hook ends with a custom-molded piece that fits into the ear canal
• Appropriate for all levels of hearing loss and all ages
• Largest hearing aid, although some newer designs are becoming less visible
• This style hearing aid may pick up more wind noise that other versions

Open-Fit

• Variation of the BTE hearing aid using a small tube to amplify high-frequency sounds
• Ear canal is kept very open to allow low-frequency sounds to be heard naturally
• Less visible than the BTE
• Suitable for mild to moderate hearing loss

Choosing Hearing Aids

At the Fort Worth ENT Hearing Center, we offer many hearing aid options and features while working closely with each individual patient to provide the hearing aids that best suit his or her needs.
Some factors that help determine which hearing aid is right for you include:

• Preferred style of hearing aid
• Severity and type of hearing loss you have
• Budget
• Lifestyle (career and social) demands that need to be met
• Surroundings that you spend your time in
• Any physical challenges
• Comfort level with technology
• Once you have chosen the hearing aids that are best for you, your audiologist will schedule a time for your initial fitting during which levels will be adjusted and features fine-tuned. We will also instruct you on:
• Inserting and removing your hearing aids
• Cleaning and caring for your hearing aids
• Changing your hearing aid batteries

Hearing Aid Technology

Background noise can sometimes be a problem when you get hearing aids. While these noises cannot be completely eliminated, hearing aids are now available that can amplify the sounds you want to hear while minimizing unwanted noise. FM technology used in assistive listening devices is especially effective at reducing background noise as well.

The wireless technology used in many hearing aids allows the two hearing aids to perform as a complete system rather than 2 individual devices. In this way, the hearing aids mimic the ears’ normal functionality.

Wireless technology also allows patients to program and customize their hearing aids with such features as Bluetooth capability to connect to electronic devices like mobile phones, computers, and TVs. Digital technology offers greater flexibility in hearing aids since they can now be programmed to amplify specific frequencies, and the sound quality continues to get better as more advancements are made in the digital hearing aid field.

Adapting to Hearing Aids

The purpose of wearing hearing aids is to improve your hearing rather than to restore your hearing perfectly. Knowing what to expect from your hearing aids will help you become accustomed to them more easily. Because hearing is typically lost over the course of many years, it may take some time to get used to hearing sounds again.

For most patients, this adjustment period can be a few weeks to months. Patients with more severe hearing loss for longer periods usually require a longer time to become acclimated. The audiologists at Fort Worth ENT will patiently work with you during the rehabilitative program.

Often, hearing aids will need additional adjustments as you begin to get used to wearing them.
Tips for getting the most benefit from these adjustments include:

• Wear your hearing aids as often as you can. This allows you to be more accurate about what adjustments may need to be made.
• Keep a log of situations and circumstances during which your hearing aids are not performing in an optimal manner.
• Be patient and positive. Most hearing aids require 2-3 adjustments, so try not to get frustrated.
• Once they are properly fitted and adjusted to your needs, your hearing aids can:
• Improve hearing in noisy settings
• Increase the ability to identify the location of sounds
• Enhance sound quality
• Improve your ability to hear softer sounds

The professional audiologists at Fort Worth ENT are here to help, so do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions or concerns about your hearing aids.