After months (possibly even years) of waiting, you’ve finally resolved to give us a call to see if you should get hearing aids. You have been resisting this like so many other people. But the hassle, the lost moments, the missing interactions, they all finally became too much.
So when you do finally come in and then you find out that you will still need to wait another two weeks before you obtain your custom fit hearing aids, it can be discouraging.
That means that you will be losing some of life’s treasured moments for two more weeks. But you could try a simple little device add on known as a hearing aid dome instead.
What are hearing aid domes?
Doesn’t that sound kind of epic? Like hearing aids dueling in some kind of ancient mythological arena. Only one hearing aid can emerge victorious from the hearing aid dome.
It’s not quite that exciting. But they are rather neat. Hearing aid domes are like tiny earbuds that you can put on the end of your hearing aid speaker. Generally made of plastic or silicone, they fit around that little part that goes inside your ear canal, connecting to the tubing of your hearing aid. They’re made for both behind-the-ear or inside-the-ear-canal models of hearing aids. And they generally do two things:
- They position the hearing aid speaker (the bit that you listen to) in an optimal position inside of your ear canal. And they position the speaker so it won’t jiggle around in your ear.
- Sometimes, external sound can interfere with 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 give you a bit of extra control and work to enhance sound quality.
Domes for hearing aids look sort of like those bulbs at the end of your earbuds. You will have to choose the hearing aid dome that’s ideal for you from several types, and we can help you do that.
What is the difference between hearing aid domes?
Open types and closed types each let in different levels of ambient sound.
Hearing aid domes come in different types, including:
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 block more ambient sound than open domes do. For people with more severe hearing loss, background 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. With these, nearly no external sound can get in. These are most effective for extremely severe hearing loss.
Do hearing aid domes need to be swapped out?
Every two to three months will be the best schedule for changing your hearing aid domes (your ears can be a bit unclean in there).
For most people, hearing aid domes can be worn right out of the box. In fact, that’s one of their biggest benefits.
What are the advantages of hearing aid domes?
Hearing aid domes are prevalent for a wide array of reasons. Here are a few prevailing advantages:
- No fitting time: Not having to wait is one of the greatest benefits of hearing aid domes. You can pop them in and wear your hearing aid right away. For individuals who don’t want to wait for custom fit hearing aids, it’s the ideal solution. And if you want to try out a hearing aid before you buy it, they’re good for that too. With hearing aid domes, you don’t have to sacrifice sound clarity to get quicker results.
- Hearing aid domes can be more discrete: Hearing aid domes are pretty small, especially when they’re tucked inside your ear. They’re pretty discrete in this way.
- You can 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. This makes the clarity of sound feel much more natural, which means you’re more likely to wear your hearing a great deal more often.
- The outside world sounds more clear and natural: By choosing the correct hearing aid dome type, you can be certain that your hearing aids produce a natural overall sound and enhanced sound clarity. That’s because some sound will still (likely) get in. Again, this depends on the type of dome, and we will help you with this.
And again, this will mean you’re less likely to leave your hearing aid sitting on your nightstand.
What are the drawbacks to hearing aid domes?
You’ll want to be mindful of some of the downsides and trade-offs that come with hearing aid domes. Among the most common are the following:
- They’re not always comfortable: Some individuals don’t like the feeling of something blocking their ear canal. Hearing specialists call this sensation “occlusion,” and some individuals can find it extremely unpleasant. Also, your hearing aid dome can become lodged in your ear if you pull it out too quickly or if you don’t keep it clean. You’ll probably need to come in and see us to get it removed if this happens.
- Sometimes, they can cause feedback: Feedback isn’t necessarily typical, but it does happen. This is particularly true for people who have high-frequency hearing loss.
- Not ideal for all forms of hearing loss: For example, if you are suffering from profound hearing loss or high frequency hearing loss, hearing aid domes might not be the best solution for you. For people with high-frequency hearing loss, again, it’s the feedback that becomes the problem. It’s the hearing aid itself that’s an issue with profound hearing loss: you’ll require something that’s bigger and which is more powerful than the types commonly associated with hearing aid domes.
So are hearing aid domes right for me?
It’s mostly a personal decision 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 related to your unique hearing health.
For some individuals, it may be worth waiting the extra two weeks for a custom-fit device. Others will create healthy lifelong hearing habits by opting for a solution that allows them to begin using their new hearing aids immediately.
The nice thing is that you’ve got options.
