Q&A

Subject: What's the best hearing aid?

From: AM

My wife is going to need a hearing aid. We are trying to find out the best hearing aid on the market and considering our income we need to find the most economical. We hear that a digital hearing aid is the best. We live in Rhode Island. Can you send us some information - about the best? possible cost? and where to get one? Thank you AM

Dear Mr. M,

You are in a position to gather a great deal of information on hearing aids through the internet. I recently had a patient who had collected a two-inch notebook of downloads and was finally ready to talk about all that information. I know that you can find lots of technical information about manufacturers, circuits, analog vs. digital, how big, how small......

In my personal opinion, I believe the digital signal processing hearing aids offer the greatest potential for a truly different and, for most folks, better way to manipulate sound to enhance communication. Of the digital aids on the market at this time, the Widex Inteo™ and the Phonak Savia™ are my favorites. The suggested retail prices can be as high as $5,000 (each). Even though most offices discount these prices, two of these are simply beyond many budgets.

Therefore, my second choice is to fit the individual with TWO digital hearing aids of appropriate power, but with fewer features than the top of line instruments. You just have to find an audiologist with whom you can communicate well. You need to think about the situations which cause the greatest difficulty. What problems exist with manual dexterity or tactile sensation, because it is important that the individual be able to care for the hearing aid and manipulate it in the ear. Discomfort in noisy environments is often alleviated by hearing aids which use some form of compression or noise reduction.

Most manufacturers offer multiple memories and remote controls. Some use multiple microphones as a technique for reducing sounds from the rear.

The best choice, however, depends on the pattern of the individual loss and the listening needs. I would recommend consulting a dispensing audiologist rather than a traditional hearing aid salesman, though you must understand that I have quite a personal bias!! Audiologists are university trained both in hearing evaluation AND in a variety of rehabilitation options including hearing aids. Lip reading, referrals to support groups, assistive listening devices, and the like all contribute to the success of our patients. You can get referrals to professionals in your area through the American Speech-Language Hearing Assoc. I believe you can contact them through www.ASHA.org on the internet. Check credentials with your local better business bureau and be sure to understand what services are included in the cost of the hearing aid. Offices vary tremendously in what is covered.

Good Luck!
Solveig