Discreet Hearing Aids: Pros and Cons
by Abdul Aziz Mondal Technology 13 April 2021
In the case that you develop hearing loss, one of the first things that your doctor will probably recommend is to get hearing aids. It is not at all unusual to develop hearing problems. Studies have been able to determine that about 48 million people in the States suffer from some sort of hearing loss.
However, the thing you should note is that in the market these days, you will find a wide variety of hearing aid devices.
Therefore, finding one that fits your needs is not at all that difficult. If you want to keep your hearing loss a secret and you don’t want to wear hearing aid devices that are too big, there are also a lot of discreet ones available in the market. These discreet hearing aids are virtually invisible.
So, let us take a closer look at these discreet hearing aids and try to find out which one will be right for you.
Smaller hearing aids-
Some of the most discreet hearing aid devices that are available in the market include some styles that are custom and are known as “in the ear” (ITE) styles. Within this umbrella of ITE devices, we will find two more variations.
These are known as “completely in the canal” (CIC) and “invisible in the canal” (IIC). Both of the above-mentioned devices can be placed deep inside the canals of the ear. This will keep the devices hidden within the inner contours that our ears have.
There still exists a bit of a social stigma in wearing hearing aid devices. These may make you lean more favorably towards the devices that are smaller and a lot more discreet than the larger ones. It is important that we mention here that the discreet and smaller versions of these devices will not be appropriate for everyone.
So, you may be wondering, are they right for me? Well, let us now discuss some of the pros and the cons of these devices. Being aware of the following information ought to help you make a much more informed decision.
Advantages-
They are discreet and also attractive:
The smaller devices are about as close to being invisible as is possible. These devices do not use any external tubes nor do they use wires Owing to the fact that they are custom-made, they are also very comfortable to wear.
Functionality:
Owing to the fact that these devices are fitted within the canals of the ear, this makes it much easier for users of the devices to use both cell phones and also headsets. Then there is also the fact that the outer ear kind of protects these devices. This serves a very important purpose and makes the device much less prone to picking up wind noise if you happen to be in an outdoor environment. This means that you will be able to enjoy outdoor activities a lot more.
These features can also make the device be used to get a much more natural sound for a lot of wearers. The fact these devices are fitted inside the ears can really help with a very annoying issue known as the occlusion effect. This has the effect of making a person feel as though they are talking inside of a barrel.
Then there is also another advantage to having them placed within the eardrums. It means that they will need much less power in order to transmit sound. This also means that these smaller devices are much less likely to cause any undesirable feedback.
Disadvantages-
It will not suit everyone:
If you have hearing problems that are of the more severe kind and more advanced type, then the smaller and more discreet devices will not be the ideal solution for your hearing problems. They are suited for people with hearing loss that range from mild to moderate.
If the kind of hearing loss you suffer from is more severe, you will probably need one of the behind the ear (BTE) models. These models pack a lot more power than the discrete ones. It must be noted that these also do not fit the ears of everyone. People who have shorter and more weirdly shaped ears, will not be able to wear these devices.
Smaller size means greater trade-offs:
One thing is for sure, you will be changing batteries with the smaller devices a lot more often. These smaller hearing aids need a lot of the smaller batteries that are disposable. These batteries are not able to hold power as long as their larger counterparts. Also, if you want batteries that you can recharge, you will also need to get a model that is of the BTE variety.
Another thing that must be considered is that when you get the smaller devices, the features of the device will also be a bit more limited than with the larger devices. The smaller devices simply do not have enough room for microphones that are directional.
This feature matters a lot as it happens to be one of the most important and advanced technologies that are currently available in the market for hearing when you are in a noisy environment with a lot of background noise.
When getting a hearing aid device, always make sure to consider the environments in which you will be in. Analyze what type of sounds are the ones that you want to hear.
If you are the type of person who can be termed an extrovert, then you will need a hearing aid device that will function well in environments that have a lot of noise in them. This means that the device will have to function well in places such as restaurants, public transportation, family gatherings, etc.
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