Hearing Aids
On this page:
- About Hearing Aids
- Getting Used to Hearing Aids
- Caring for Your Hearing Aids
- Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids
- Paying for Hearing Aids
- Resources
About Hearing Aids
Many people experience hearing loss. Hearing loss—whether mild, moderate, or severe—can cause communication problems in different settings, such as at home, at work, and with friends. Hearing aids can be helpful for some types of hearing loss. Your audiologist can test your hearing and help find the best hearing aid for you. Not every hearing aid will work for every person. You may need a hearing aid in one or both ears.
Not all hearing aids are the same. They come in different styles and sizes. A hearing aid may fit completely or partly in your ear canal, sit in the outer part of your ear, or rest behind your ear. Different features are available to improve your hearing while using the hearing aid. Your audiologist will consider your specific needs and goals when helping you choose the right style and features.
All hearing aids have
- a microphone to pick up sound;
- a way to make sound louder, called an amplifier;
- a receiver that sends the louder sounds to your ear; and
- a power source, such as disposable batteries or rechargeable technology.
Additional hearing aid features that may be helpful to you include
- a directional microphone to pick up sounds from one specific direction;
- features to help you hear and understand speech when using the telephone, such as a telecoil or telephone-specific program;
- direct audio input to connect a microphone to your hearing aid for use with your TV, computer, or radio; and
- ability to connect to personal Bluetooth devices like cellphones, tablets, and smart TVs.
Getting Used to Hearing Aids
It takes time to get used to your hearing aids. Hearing aids can help you hear environmental sounds and communicate with others. They do not cure hearing loss or return your hearing to normal.
Your audiologist can
- help you adjust to wearing your hearing aid;
- teach you what to expect;
- monitor your hearing aid regularly;
- answer your questions;
- make any adjustments that you need; and
- recommend aural rehabilitation services to help you get the most out of your hearing aid.
Some helpful hearing assistive technology options may also be available for use with your hearing aid.
Caring for Your Hearing Aids
Your audiologist can teach you how to care for your hearing aid and how to check that it is working correctly. They can show you how to clean and store your hearing aid and how to check and change the batteries. You may receive some tools to care for your hearing aid, such as cleaning tools and brushes, drying containers, and/or earwax protection supplies.
To keep your hearing aid working properly, it is important to
- change the batteries regularly or, for rechargeable hearing aids, make sure to charge the device(s) as directed;
- clean your hearing aid according to your audiologist’s instructions;
- keep your hearing aid dry; and
- talk to your audiologist about how to do listening checks on your hearing aid.
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids
OTC hearing aids are available online, at drugstores, or at big-box stores. Buying hearing aids this way may be more affordable, but OTC hearing aids are not right for everyone. Before you buy OTC hearing aids, there are some things to consider:
- A hearing aid does more than just make things louder. It is a complex medical device.
- An OTC hearing aid may work for you if you have a mild to moderate hearing loss—but not if you have a more severe hearing loss. An audiologist can test your hearing and let you know more about what type of hearing loss you are experiencing.
- Children under the age of 18 years should not use OTC hearing aids.
- It takes time to get used to hearing aids, and adjustments to the hearing aid fitting and settings may be necessary. An audiologist can help you with this process.
See ASHA’s resource on Over the Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids Frequently Asked Questions.
Paying for Hearing Aids
You may have questions about how to pay for hearing aids. There are several funding sources. See ASHA’s resource on Funding for Audiology Services and Hearing Aids.
Resources
This list does not include every website on this topic. ASHA does not endorse the information on these sites.
