Deciding Which Hearing Aid Device To Choose

Starkey, ReSound, Oticon, Or Phonak – Deciding Which Hearing Aid Device To Choose

by | Jun 17, 2021 | Hearing Aids, Patient Resources

 Often, we are asked, “What hearing aids are the best?”

 While we understand that most people are naturally curious over what devices will be the most “highly rated” or “best performing,” the answer is not necessarily that easy.

To be frank, there are a lot of factors that determine which hearing is best for you. Sometimes it can be your level of hearing loss, or perhaps it’s your budget.

At Audicles Hearing Services, we like to compare hearing aids to glasses.

If you have been diagnosed with very bad eyesight, you wouldn’t just borrow your friend’s glasses and expect them to work for you. You would put yourself at risk of further deteriorating your eyesight, and they wouldn’t necessarily work against your lifestyle.

Just like hearing aids, there is a combination of factors to consider, and no one manufacturer will be right for everyone.

To make your decision easier, we have collated everything you need to know below…

Choosing Which Manufacturer To Go With

After you’ve faced the first hurdle of coming to terms with your hearing loss, the next step is choosing who to partner with for better hearing. This usually involves chatting with your audiologist about your hearing loss, family history, and lifestyle.

The reason why it is so hard to define which hearing aid manufacturer is the best is that no one manufacturer is going to be superior to the others. Each manufacturer does things really well.

This is why we have chosen ReSound, Oticon, and Phonak as part of our portfolio of products.

For example, someone who has a very mild degree of hearing loss has very different needs than another who has a profound hearing loss in both ears or a cochlear implant on one side.

Further, some people with unilateral hearing loss require a CROS system, which is designed to send sound from the “deaf” ear to the hearing aid in their other ear.

Of course, children have very different needs than adults since they are still developing language skills. But there is a different approach needed here which cannot be resolved by a one size fits all.

In some cases, one manufacturer’s processor doesn’t sound right to some listeners – so we offer choices to accommodate everyone.

How Does Your Lifestyle, Budget, And Hearing Loss Affect Your Decision? 

Before we recommend a hearing aid to anyone, there are a few things we want to know:

  • What is your work environment? Things such as being on the phone or going on Zoom calls are a big factor, as you may need a hearing aid that accommodates that.
  • The type of hearing loss you suffer with and the type of environments you find it most difficult to hear.
  • Your lifestyle habits, i.e., if you spend a lot of time alone or with another person, including going to restaurants frequently, etc.
  • Traveling – if you spend a lot of time in your vehicle or drive an RV often.

Talking through each factor, we will outline the person’s individual hearing needs and assess what they want to achieve from a hearing device. It could be that they need clarity in certain situations, such as during work meetings or when they are out for dinner.

Helping You To Make The Right Decision

After reading this article, it should be clear that there is no superior manufacturer nor a specific device that is going to work for everyone.

Hearing is as unique as your fingerprint, so it’s impossible to find two people with the same requirements and interests.

It just takes working alongside your audiologist to pinpoint your hearing loss concerns and evaluate what device will work best for you in the long run, and provide adequate amplification to help you in all types of environments.

Equally, choosing to partner with a reputable hearing healthcare clinic, such as Audicles Hearing Services, is just as important, if not more, than the device you choose to purchase.

As San Antonio’s leading doctors of audiology, our experts have over 75 years of experience and helped thousands of patients to hear better.

Proven by the results we deliver, we can effectively test your hearing and help you to make the right decision.

To schedule your appointment with one of our experts, then simply call 210-820-0525 or click here to “Request a Callback.”

We’re excited about the next steps in your journey.

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Dr. Tracy Board Doctor of Audiology

Dr. Board began her career in audiology after completing her undergraduate degree at The University of Texas at Austin and the doctoral program at The University of Texas at Dallas. She has been fortunate to work in a plethora of healthcare and educational settings. As a result, she has perfected the art of effective adult and pediatric treatment. When she is not at the clinic, Dr. Board works directly with her state and national organizations to not only improve the quality of audiological healthcare in Texas, but also to advocate for her patients.