You’ve been avoiding calling us to see if you need hearing aids, but you’ve finally decided it’s time. You have been resisting this like so many others. But the stress of living life without being able to hear has finally become too much.
So when you do finally come in and then you learn that you will still have to wait another couple of weeks before you get your custom fit hearing aids, it can be disheartening.
That means that you will be losing 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?
They sound sort of epic, right? Like some type of arena where hearing aids battle in ancient, mythical combat. Welcome to the Hearing Aid Dome: Two hearing aids enter…but only one leaves!
It’s not really that exciting. They are pretty cool though. Hearing aid domes are like little earbuds that you can place on the end of your hearing aid speaker. Usually made out 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 basic functions:
- They position the hearing aid speaker (the bit that you listen to) in an ideal position inside of your ear canal. And they help secure the speaker in place. That way it’s not moving around.
- They can help control the amount of external sound you hear, particularly when that external sound can impede the function of your hearing aid. Hearing aid domes work to improve the sound quality and provide an extra bit of control when used correctly.
Domes for hearing aids look sort of like those bulbs at the end of your earbuds. There are several hearing aid dome types, so we will help you pick 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 models include:
Open Domes
With these, more sound is capable of passing through little holes in the dome. This helps your ear process natural sounds while still getting the advantage of amplification.
Closed Domes
These domes let less outside sound in through fewer and smaller holes. For people with more profound hearing loss, background noise can be really distracting and this type of dome can help with that.
Power Domes
Power domes don’t have any holes and totally block outside sounds. This means virtually no sound at all can get into the ear canal. These are most effective for extremely profound hearing loss.
Do hearing aid domes need to be changed?
Every two to three months will be the ideal schedule for changing your hearing aid domes (your ears can be a bit unclean in there).
Hearing aid domes can usually be used right out of the box. As a matter of fact, that’s one of their biggest advantages.
What are the benefits of hearing aid domes?
Hearing aid domes are prevalent for a wide variety of reasons. The most widespread benefits include the following:
- You can hear your own voice: A natural amount of sound can get through some types of hearing aid domes. This means you can still hear your own voice as you naturally would. This makes the clarity of sound seem a lot more natural, which means you’re more likely to use your hearing aids far more often.
- Hearing aid domes can be more discrete: Hearing aid domes are fairly small, especially when they’re tucked into your ear. In this way, they can be rather discrete.
- The outside world sounds more clear and natural: You can be certain your hearing aids produce a clear, natural sound quality by choosing 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.
- 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 pop them in and use your hearing aid immediately. For individuals who don’t want to wait for custom fit hearing aids, it’s the ideal option. And if you want to try out a hearing aid before you buy it, they’re great for that too. With hearing aid domes, you don’t have to sacrifice sound clarity to get quicker results.
And again, this will mean you’re not as likely to leave your hearing aid sitting on your nightstand.
Are there drawbacks to hearing aid domes?
As with any hearing device or medical treatment, there are some drawbacks and trade-offs to hearing aid domes, trade=offs you’ll want to consider before making a decision. Among the most common are the following:
- They can at times be uncomfortable: Having something plugging the ear canal can be really unpleasant for some individuals. Some people find this sensation, called “occlusion” by hearing specialist, intensely uncomfortable. Also, your hearing aid dome can get lodged in your ear if you pull it out too fast or if you don’t keep it clean. If this happens, you’ll most likely need to come see us to get it removed.
- They can sometimes be more prone to feedback: Feedback isn’t necessarily common, but it does happen. This is particularly true for people who are dealing with high-frequency hearing loss.
- Not ideal for all types of hearing loss: For example, if you have profound hearing loss or high frequency hearing loss, hearing aid domes may not be the best solution for you. For people with high-frequency hearing loss, again, it’s the feedback that becomes the problem. For individuals who have profound hearing loss, it’s really the hearing aid itself that’s the issue: the type of hearing aid commonly associated with hearing aid domes is usually not large or powerful enough for this kind of hearing loss.
So are hearing aid domes right for me?
It’s largely a personal choice whether you use hearing aid domes. It’s up to you but we can help. And we will be able to help you understand all the pros and cons pertaining to your unique hearing health.
For some individuals, it may be worth waiting the extra couple of weeks for a custom-fit device. For others, the quick results of hearing aids you can use today will build healthy, lifelong hearing habits.
You’ve got options and that’s the good thing.