You’ve been avoiding calling us to see if you need hearing aids, but you’ve finally decided it’s time. Like many other people, you’ve been resisting this. But the difficulty of living life without being able to hear has finally become too hard to ignore.
So it’s a bit disheartening when you’re sitting in the hearing specialist’s office and you find out that you’re going to need to wait another couple of weeks for custom fit hearing aids.
That means that you will be missing some of life’s treasured moments for two more weeks. But you could try a basic little device add on called a hearing aid dome instead.
What exactly is a hearing aid dome?
Doesn’t that sound kind of epic? Like some kind of arena where hearing aids battle in ancient, mythical combat. Only one hearing aid can come forth victorious from the hearing aid dome.
It’s not quite that exciting. But they are rather neat. Hearing aid domes go on the end of your hearing aid speakers like tiny earbuds. Usually made of silicone or plastic, they attach to the tubing of your hearing aid and fit around the part that goes into your ear canal. They’re made for both behind-the-ear or inside-the-ear-canal models of 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 wiggling around.
- Sometimes, external sound can interfere with the sound of your hearing aid and hearing aid domes help stop that by controlling the amount of outside sound. When properly used, hearing aid domes provide you with a bit of extra control and work to enhance sound quality.
Domes for hearing aids look kind of like those bulbs at the end of your earbuds. You will have to select the hearing aid dome that’s best for you from a number of kinds, and we can assist you in doing that.
Different types of hearing aid domes
Open types and closed types each let in different levels of background sound.
Hearing aid dome models include:
Open Domes
With these, more sound is able to pass through little holes in the dome. This helps your ear process ambient sounds along with the advantage of amplification.
Closed Domes
As the name suggests, these domes have fewer openings and stop more ambient sound than open domes do. For individuals with more profound hearing loss, ambient noise can be quite distracting and this kind of dome can help with that.
Power Domes
Power domes have no holes and totally block external sounds. With these, nearly no outside sound can get in. These are most practical for extremely severe hearing loss.
Do hearing aid domes need to be changed?
For best results, you should swap out your hearing aid domes every 2-3 months (your ears can be a bit unclean in there).
Hearing aid domes can usually be worn right out of the box. That’s one of the greatest things about them.
How will I benefit by wearing hearing aid buds?
There are a number of reasons why hearing aid domes are popular. The most widespread benefits include the following:
- You’re able to hear your own voice: Some hearing aid domes are designed to let a natural amount of sound come in. So you will still be capable of hearing your own voice. You’ll most likely use your hearing aids more if they sound clear and natural.
- Hearing aid domes can be more discrete: Hearing aid domes aren’t very big, especially when they’re in your ear. In this way, they can be rather discrete.
- No fitting time: One of the most popular (and immediate) advantages of hearing aid domes is that you don’t need to wait. You can un-box them, put them on your hearing aid and you’re good to go. This is an ideal option for people who don’t want to wait weeks for custom fit hearing aids. It’s also good for people who want to demo their hearing aids before they purchase them. With hearing aid domes, you don’t have to sacrifice sound clarity to get quicker results.
- Everything sounds a bit more natural: By finding the best hearing aid dome type, you can guarantee that your hearing aids produce a natural overall sound and improved sound clarity. That’s because some sound will still (probably) get through. Once again, this depends on the type of dome, and we can help you with this.
And, once again, this means many people are more likely to wear those hearing aids more often.
What are the drawbacks to hearing aid domes?
As with any hearing device or medical procedure, there are some drawbacks and trade-offs to hearing aid domes, trade=offs you’ll want to think about before making a decision. Among the most common are the following:
- They can at times be uncomfortable: Some individuals are uncomfortable with the feeling of something filling their ear canal. Hearing specialists call this sensation “occlusion,” and some people can find it extremely uncomfortable. Additionally, if you pull your hearing aid dome out too quickly (or don’t clean it often enough), there’s the chance that it may separate from the tubing and get stuck in your ear canal. You’ll probably need to come in and see us to get it removed if this happens.
- They can sometimes be more prone to feedback: Feedback, though not that common, sometimes does happen. This is especially true for those who have high-frequency hearing loss.
- Not suitable for all forms of hearing loss: As an illustration, hearing aid domes won’t be the ideal 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 problem: you’ll require something that’s larger and which is more powerful than the styles typically associated with hearing aid domes.
Should I use hearing aid domes?
Ultimately, the decision of whether you should use hearing aid domes or not is largely a personal one. 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 unique hearing health.
For some people, it might be worth waiting the extra two weeks for a custom-fit device. Others will build healthy lifelong hearing habits by opting for a solution that allows them to begin using their new hearing aids right away.
You have options and that’s the nice thing.
