You’ve been putting off 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 inconvenience, the lost moments, the missing conversations, they all finally became too hard to ignore.
So it’s a little frustrating when you’re at the hearing specialist’s office and you learn that you’re going to have to wait another couple of weeks for custom fit hearing aids.
That means that you will be missing some of life’s precious moments for two more weeks. But you could try a basic little device add on called a hearing aid dome instead.
What are hearing aid domes?
Doesn’t that sound kind of epic? Like some kind of arena where hearing aids battle in ancient, mythological combat. 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 go on the end of your hearing aid speakers like tiny earbuds. Usually made out of silicone or plastic, they attach to the tubing of your hearing aid and fit on the part that goes in your ear canal. You can use them with both behind-the-ear and in-ear models. Here are the two general functions:
- They position the hearing aid speaker (the part that you listen to) in the most effective position inside of your ear canal. And they secure the speaker so it won’t jiggle around in your ear.
- They can help limit the amount of external sound you hear, particularly when that external sound can impede the function of your hearing aid. When properly used, hearing aid domes provide you with a bit of extra control and work to improve sound clarity.
Domes for hearing aids look kind of like those bulbs at the end of your earbuds. You will have to choose the hearing aid dome that’s best for you from several types, and we can help you do that.
Different types of 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
These have holes in the dome that allow more natural sound to get through and into your ears. This helps your ear process ambient sounds along with the advantage of amplification.
Closed Domes
As the name implies, these domes have fewer holes and block more ambient sound than open domes can. These are better for more advanced hearing loss where ambient noise can be distracting.
Power Domes
Power domes have no holes and completely block outside sounds. With these, nearly no outside sound can get in. These domes will be best for people with extremely severe hearing loss.
How often should you change your hearing aid domes?
Every two to three months will be the ideal schedule for changing your hearing aid domes (your ears can be a bit dirty in there).
For most individuals, hearing aid domes can be used right out of the box. In fact, that’s one of their biggest benefits.
How will I benefit by using hearing aid buds?
There are numerous reasons why hearing aid domes are popular. The most common advantages include the following:
- Hearing aid domes can be more discrete: Hearing aid domes are pretty small, particularly when they’re tucked into your ear. They’re pretty discrete in this way.
- 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. For individuals who don’t want to wait for custom fit hearing aids, it’s the ideal solution. It’s also great for people who want to demo their hearing aids before they purchase them. With hearing aid domes, patients don’t have to sacrifice sound clarity to get faster results.
- You’re able to hear your own voice: Some hearing aid domes are created to let a natural level of sound come in. So you will still be capable of hearing your own voice. This makes the clarity of sound seem a lot more natural, which means you’re likely to use your hearing a great deal more often.
- Everything sounds a bit more natural: By choosing the correct hearing aid dome type, you can ensure that your hearing aids generate a natural overall sound and improved sound clarity. That’s because some sound will still (probably) get in. Once again, this depends on the style 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 downsides 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 deciding. Here are a few of the most prevalent:
- They aren’t always comfortable: Having something filling the ear canal can be really unpleasant for some people. Some people find this feeling, called “occlusion” by hearing specialist, 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 most likely need to come in and see us to have it removed if this happens.
- They can sometimes be more prone to feedback: Feedback isn’t necessarily common, but it does happen. This is especially true for individuals who have high-frequency hearing loss.
- Some types of hearing loss aren’t suitable for hearing aid domes: As an example, hearing aid domes won’t be the ideal option if you have high frequency hearing loss or profound hearing loss. For those with high-frequency hearing loss, once again, it’s the feedback that becomes the issue. It’s the hearing aid itself that’s an issue with profound hearing loss: the kind of hearing aid commonly associated with hearing aid domes is usually not large or powerful enough for this form of hearing loss.
Should I get hearing aid domes?
Inevitably, the choice of whether you should use hearing aid domes or not is largely a personal one. It’s up to you but we can help. And we will go over your specific needs and help advise you on the pros and cons.
Some people may do better waiting for a custom fitting. Others will create healthy lifelong hearing habits by opting for a solution that allows them to start using their new hearing aids immediately.
The good thing is that you’ve got options.