Skip to content
HearingTracker
Log in

What Should I Check Before Buying My First Hearing Aid?

2 replies180 viewsLast reply

Link to this topic
Reply

I'm at the stage where I'm seriously considering getting my first hearing aid, and I'm finding the whole process a little confusing.

There are so many brands, models, features, and price ranges that it's difficult to know what actually matters in day-to-day use.

I'm particularly wondering about the experience of people who have already gone through this:

  • How important is it to choose the right audiologist or hearing clinic?
  • Should I try more than one hearing aid before making a decision?
  • How much difference does proper fitting and programming make?
  • Is it worth paying more for premium features such as Bluetooth and rechargeable batteries?
  • What kind of follow-up support should I expect after purchasing?
  • Are regular adjustments and cleaning usually included in the price?
  • What should I ask the audiologist before buying?

I'm based in India, so I'd also be interested in hearing from people who purchased their hearing aids from local clinics rather than online.

One thing I've realised is that the hearing aid itself may not be the whole story. Getting the hearing test, fitting and follow-up support right seems just as important.

For anyone who has been through this already:

What is one thing you wish you had known before buying your first hearing aid?

And if you're in India, what would you recommend checking when comparing different hearing clinics?

Would really appreciate some honest experiences - good or bad.

Finding a good audiologist is critical, especially for a new user. Your audiologist should talk to you about what's important for you. For example, my husband is really lucky about music wheteas if I can understand speech better I'm happy. It might help to try some different brands but really you're a bit limited by what your audiologist offers.. And one important thing to know is that you should expect to go back to the audiologist several times before the will be best adjusted for you. It takes a week or 2 with the first setting just to get used to this different way of hearing. In that time, your brain adapts to using aids. Then the tweaks can be made.

The best device is pointless if not fitted correctly, so yes, it is important to choose a good clinic. However, that advice is not so easy to act upon because it's not obvious which clinics are good or bad until you have some experience in this area. Also, reviews from other people may not be very reliable since many people getting hearing aids do not have reasonable expectations concerning the price or performance of these devices (and also, frankly, many people resent the need for in the first place and displace this onto those they are dealing with in the process).

Bear in mind also that you will likely need to return to have adjustments made several times. The initial fitting is not going to be perfect.

Given that you are in India, I'm not sure if the market for these devices is different than Europe and North America in terms of price. Here, several years of warranty are standard (ask about this -- what happens if you lose a device, or if it's damaged). And generally, for modern devices, Bluetooth and rechargeable batteries are now standard features rather than "premium" add-ons. Some long-time HA wearers still prefer disposable batteries, but these devices are increasingly rate among new models.

Related discussions