You’ve been avoiding calling us to find out if you need hearing aids, but you’ve finally decided it’s time. You have been resisting this like so many other people. But the stress of going through life without being able to hear has finally become too hard to ignore.
So it’s a little discouraging when you’re sitting in the hearing specialist’s office and you find out that you’re going to need to wait another two weeks for custom fit hearing aids.
That means that you will be missing some of life’s precious moments for two more weeks. But you could try a basic little device add on known as a hearing aid dome instead.
What exactly is a hearing aid dome?
Doesn’t that sound sort of epic? Like hearing aids dueling in some kind of ancient mythical arena. Only one hearing aid can come forth victorious from the hearing aid dome.
It’s not really that thrilling. They are pretty cool though. Hearing aid domes are like little earbuds that you can put on the end of your hearing aid speaker. Usually made of silicone or plastic, they attach to the tubing of your hearing aid and fit around the part that goes inside of your ear canal. They’re made for behind-the-ear or inside-the-ear-canal style hearing aids. Here are the two general functions:
- They guarantee that the speaker of the hearing aid is seated in an optimal position in your ear. And they help secure the speaker in place. That way it’s not moving around.
- In some cases, outside sound can impede the sound of your hearing aid and hearing aid domes help avoid that by regulating the amount of outside sound. When used correctly, hearing aid domes provide you with some extra control and work to enhance sound quality.
Domes for hearing aids look sort of like those bulbs at the end of your earbuds. There are several hearing aid dome styles, so we will help you choose the one that’s best for your needs.
What is the difference between hearing aid domes?
Most come in open and closed styles, each letting in more or less background sound.
Hearing aid dome types include:
Open Domes
These have holes in the dome that allow more natural sound to pass through and into your ears. You get the benefit of amplification while still being able to process outside sounds.
Closed Domes
These domes let less outside sound in through fewer and smaller holes. For people with more severe hearing loss, ambient noise can be quite distracting and this kind of dome can help with that.
Power Domes
Power domes totally block the ear canal and have no holes. This means very little to no sound at all can get into the ear canal. These are most practical for extremely severe hearing loss.
How frequently should you change your hearing aid domes?
Every two to three months will be the best schedule for changing your hearing aid domes (your ears can be a bit dirty in there).
For most individuals, hearing aid domes can be worn right out of the box. In fact, that’s one of their biggest advantages.
How will I benefit by using hearing aid buds?
There are a number of reasons why hearing aid domes are popular. The most widespread benefits include the following:
- Everything sounds a little more natural: You can be sure your hearing aids create a clear, natural sound quality by picking the right type of hearing aid domes. More than likely, some sound will still get in and that’s the reason for this. Once again, this depends on the style of dome, and we can help you with this.
- You’re able to hear your own voice: A natural amount of sound can get through some models of hearing aid domes. So you will still be able to hear your own voice. You’re more likely to use your hearing aids more if they sound clear and natural.
- Hearing aid domes can be more discrete: Hearing aid domes are fairly small, particularly when they’re tucked into your ear. They’re pretty discrete in this way.
- No fitting time: One of the most prominent (and immediate) benefits of hearing aid domes is that you don’t have to wait. You can pop them in and wear your hearing aid immediately. For people who don’t want to wait for custom fit hearing aids, it’s the best option. And if you want to demo a hearing aid before you buy it, they’re great for that too. For patients who want faster results, hearing aid domes can provide a way to achieve that without compromising the quality of your sound clarity.
And, again, this means many individuals are more likely to use those hearing aids more often.
What are the downsides to hearing aid domes?
You’ll want to be mindful of some of the drawbacks and trade-offs that come with hearing aid domes. Among the most common are the following:
- They can sometimes be uncomfortable: Some individuals are uncomfortable with the feeling of something filling their ear canal. Hearing specialists call this feeling “occlusion,” and some people can find it intensely uncomfortable. Additionally, if you pull your hearing aid dome out too quickly (or don’t clean it often enough), there’s the possibility that it might separate from the tubing and get lodged in your ear canal. You’ll most likely need to come in and see us to have it removed if this happens.
- They can occasionally be more prone to feedback: Feedback, though not very common, sometimes does occur. For people who are dealing with high frequency hearing loss, this is particularly true.
- Some forms of hearing loss aren’t suitable for hearing aid domes: As an example, hearing aid domes won’t be the best option if you have high frequency hearing loss or profound hearing loss. Once again, the feedback can become an issue with high frequency hearing loss. For individuals with profound hearing loss, it’s really the hearing aid itself that’s the issue: the kind of hearing aid typically associated with hearing aid domes is normally not large or powerful enough for this kind of hearing loss.
Should I get hearing aid domes?
It’s largely a personal choice whether you use hearing aid domes. We can help but it’s up to you. And we will be able to walk you through all the pros and cons pertaining to your personal hearing health.
For some people, it might be worth waiting the extra two weeks for a custom-fit device. For others, the immediate results of hearing aids you can use today will create healthy, lifelong hearing habits.
The nice thing is that you’ve got options.