Hearing Aid Guide: Choosing Specialists & Services

Oct 01, 2023

Hearing Aid Services Houston, TX

Hearing aids are recommended for individuals with hearing loss or difficulty. If you’re experiencing loss due to external factors or an underlying medical condition, an audiologist may recommend a hearing aid for you.

A hearing aid is a small electronic device that you attach in or behind your ear to make sounds more audible. It helps you hear what people are saying more clearly so that you can listen and communicate effectively. With a hearing aid, you can hear more clearly, even in a noisy environment.

If you have hearing loss in one ear, you can wear one hearing aid, but if you have hearing loss in both ears, it is recommended to wear two hearing aids.

Importance of Hearing Aids

Increased sound audibility

Hearing aids increase the audibility of sound. It helps you to hear sounds that you were unable to hear before. You can hear sounds as faint as clock ticking, refrigerator noise, computer clicks, and footsteps when you have hearing aids on. You can easily hear what people are saying even from a distance.

Less interference from background noise

Hearing aids can help reduce background noise for better audibility of focused sound. It helps to cancel our background interference so that you can audibly hear the focused sound.

However, hearing aids reduce moderate background noise. You may still find it difficult to listen to loud background noise. It is best to wear two hearing aids on both ears if you find it difficult to listen in a noisy environment.

Helps delay the need for treatments

Hearing aids can help improve your hearing until you get appropriate treatment. Hearing loss can be caused by a medical condition that requires treatment.

Wearing hearing aids can help you hear better until you get treated. Your doctor may recommend hearing aids to improve your hearing, pending when you get appropriate treatment.

You hear with your brain and your ears.

When sound is supplied to your ear via a hearing aid, the hearing aid sends the information to your central nervous system. The cells in your brain become active and useful.

This allows you to understand better the sounds around you and what people are saying. It provides better help with communication as you can hear with both your ears and brain.

How to Choose the Right Hearing Aid Services in Houston, TX

Hearing aids are quite different in price, size, special features, and the way they're placed in the ear.

The different hearing aids include:

Completely in the canal (CIC) hearing aid

This hearing aid is the most minor type of hearing aid. It is inserted into the ear canal to completely fit inside the ear canal.

It is the least visible, and people may not know that you have a hearing aid on. This hearing aid can be used for mild to moderate hearing loss.

Features of a completely-in-the-canal hearing aid

It is the smallest and least visible type of hearing aids
It is less likely to pick up wind noise as it is inserted inside the ear canal.
It uses very small batteries that have shorter battery life.
Earwax in the ear may clog the speaker.
It often doesn't include extra features, such as volume control or a directional microphone.

In-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid

This hearing aid is custom molded. It fits partly in the ear canal. This hearing aid can improve mild to moderate hearing loss.

Features of an in-the-canal hearing aid

It is less visible in the ear than larger hearing aid types.
It doesn’t completely fit into the ear canal, making it difficult to adjust.
The speaker is likely to get clogged by earwax.

In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid

This hearing aid is custom-made in two styles. One fills most of the bowl-shaped area of the outer ear, while the other fills only the lower part of the ear. Both of them can help improve mild to severe hearing loss.

Features of an in-the-ear hearing aid

It has directional microphones (two microphones for better hearing in a noisy environment).
It includes additional features such as volume control
It uses a larger battery for longer battery life. The battery may be rechargeable.
It may pick up more wind noise as it is fixed at the outer part of the ear.
The speaker is likely to be clogged by earwax.
It is more visible than smaller hearing aids.

Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid Test

This hearing aid is hooked over the top of the ear and rests behind the ear. It has an ear mold that fits in the ear canal. A tube connects the hearing aid to the ear mold. It is used for almost any type of hearing loss.

Features of a behind-the-ear hearing aid

It is the largest type of hearing aid.
It has directional microphones.
It uses a larger battery and may be rechargeable.
It produces more amplification than other types.
It may pick up more wind noise than other types.

Receiver in canal (RIC) and receiver in the ear (RITE)

Both the RIC and RITE hearing aids are similar to the behind-the-ear hearing aids. However, a tiny wire connects the hearing aid behind the ear to the speaker or receiver.

Features of a receiver-in-canal hearing aid

The receiver inside the canal may likely be clogged by earwax.

Open-fit hearing aid

This hearing aid keeps the ear canal very open. The aim is to allow low-frequency sounds to enter the ear naturally and for high-frequency sounds to be amplified through the hearing aid.

It is fixed at the back of the ear with a tiny wire connected to the receiver. It is recommended for people with better low-frequency hearing and mild to moderate high-frequency hearing loss.

Features of an open-fit hearing aid

It is often visible.
It is not fixed in the ear canal. Hence, you can hear your own voice better.

Now that you have known the different types of hearing aids let’s show you how to choose the right one.

How to Choose a Hearing Aid Specialist in Houston, TX

When looking for a hearing aid, it is advised to consult with an audiologist or a hearing aid specialist. You should also explore your options to know what type of hearing aid is suitable for you. The things you should do before choosing a hearing aid include:

Consult with a reputable audiologist or hearing aid specialist

An audiologist or hearing aid specialist will first assess your hearing before recommending the most appropriate hearing aid for you. He or she will also adjust the hearing aid to meet your needs.

Ask for a trial period.

It is best to test your hearing aid for some days before finally buying. You can ask for a trial period so that you can use the device to know practically how it works for you.

After the trial period, you will then know if the hearing aid is suitable for you or not. You may need to pay some amount upfront to use the hearing aid for the trial period.

Beware of misleading claims.

Anything too good to be true is usually not true. You need to beware of misleading claims and information when getting a hearing aid. Hearing aids can't totally eliminate background noise and can’t restore normal hearing. Avoid products with misleading claims.

Consider your budget

The cost of hearing aids varies widely depending on the specific types and functionality. You should consider your budget when getting hearing aids.

Overview of Hearing Aid Services Available in Houston

Pupila Family Eye & Ear Care is a reputable clinic that provides hearing aid services. We are hearing aid specialists located in Houston, TX. We provide various hearing aid services to help improve the hearing of patients.

We conducted hearing examination to assess your level of hearing loss before recommending a hearing aid for you. We also help adjust the hearing aid to suit your needs.

Pupila Family Eye & Ear Care is the best hearing aid provider in Houston, TX. We conduct hearing aid tests to ensure that you get the best hearing aid that will help improve your hearing.

The Process of Hearing Aid Tests and Fitting in Houston

Hearing aid tests and fitting start with an appointment. First, we will conduct a sound test. From the results of the test, we will then decide which specific hearing aid is best for you.

We will fit the hearing aid in your ear and then test-run it to ensure that it’s working properly. We will also assess your level of hearing improvement. We also provide post-fitting counseling and follow-up.

Pupila Family Eye & Ear Care: Best Hearing Aid Specialists in Houston, TX

Best Audiology Specialists in Houston, TX

Pupila Family Eye & Ear Care is the best hearing aid specialist in Houston, TX. We provide professional hearing aid services for people with hearing loss in Houston, Texas. We have professional hearing aid specialists who are devoted to helping people improve their hearing.

If you’re experiencing hearing loss, we encourage you to contact us or book an appointment to meet with a reputable hearing aid specialist.