How to Compare the Performance of Hearing Aids

Hearing has the ability to impact quality of life---for example, if you cannot hear well, you may miss out on laughter and end up frustrated and depressed because you don't understand conversations. Hearing aids cannot restore hearing back to normal, but they do amplify sounds so you can make the most of the hearing capacity you do have. Not all hearing aids are the same, however. Compare the performance of different hearing aids before you make a final purchase decision.

Instructions

• 1

  Contact hearing aid manufacturers to request a trial for the hearing aids you wish to compare. There usually is a cost for the trial. However, some manufacturers allow you to put the cost of the trial toward the final purchase price.

• 2

  Ask your audiologist to use software applications to measure what frequencies the hearing aid actually is amplifying. The results of the frequency tests should fall within the specifications for the frequency settings on the hearing aid.

• 3

  Consider where you perceive sound while wearing the different aids you are considering. Behind-the-ear hearing aids by nature have a tendency to pick up sounds behind you. If a hearing aid has multidirectional microphones, hearing in one direction significantly better than another is a sign that the mics need adjusting or aren't working as advertised.

• 4

  Try out the different features on each hearing aid (e.g., Bluetooth technology). Check that the features are easy to access and that you consistently get the same results.

• 5

  Call the manufacturer for each hearing aid. Ask a quality assurance representative for the percentage of returned or malfunctioning aids.

• 6

  Consider how each hearing aid fits into your ear and whether the aid whistles. If an aid consistently slips or gets clogged with earwax, the microphones may not function properly and you will get feedback. Your audiologist can determine whether the problem is the aid itself or just the fit.

• 7

  Listen to different kinds of sounds---conversations, music and general noise. Some hearing aids are better at picking up speech, while others are better for music because they cover a wider frequency range. See which hearing aid gives you better clarity over all types of listening, or which gives you the best clarity for a specified issue (e.g., loss of upper overtones).

• 8

  Look at consumer reviews for the hearing aids you are considering.

• 9

  Check the warranty on each hearing aid. A large number of exclusions or a very limited warranty period might signal that a hearing aid will not last and that the manufacturer actually is aware of this even as it markets the product.

• 10

  Contact your insurance provider and other insurance carriers to see what hearing aids, if any, are covered. If insurance companies that do cover hearing aids don't cover the hearing aid you want, this may be a sign that the insurance company doesn't believe the aid will be worth the investment. It also can be a sign that the insurance company simply wants to cover cheaper models to lower costs.