Many individuals balk at the idea of wearing hearing aids, but these tiny but mighty devices have come a long way past their predecessors.

From Bluetooth connectivity and smartphone compatibility to AI sound processing and background noise suppression, modern hearing aid technology is advanced, powerful, and more subtle in appearance.

No matter your hearing loss challenges, professional hearing care and top-tier technology can help you get back to leading your active and independent life with strong, clear hearing.

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How To Find the Perfect Fit

Hearing aids can provide a litany of incredible benefits, but if they don’t fit correctly, you won’t enjoy their full benefits to your hearing and quality of life.

A proper fit, as in both how the device physically sits in or around your ear and how it’s programmed by your audiologist, is crucial for optimal audibility of sound. Without that clear sound, the brain must compensate for what it’s missing from the ears, leading to more misunderstanding and more listening effort.

A poor fit can impact speech clarity, listening in noisy environments, the functionality of some features, and your comfort as the wearer.

Physical Fit – Open, Closed, or Custom?

A good physical fit for your hearing aid will ensure that the hearing aid stays secure in your ear, delivers sound effectively without feedback, and is comfortable to wear all day. The style of hearing aid can make the physical fit slightly different.

Open domes are intended for people with mild to moderate hearing loss in the high pitches.

Closed domes are intended for people with mild hearing loss in the low pitches and moderate to severe hearing loss in the high pitches.

Both open and closed domes are instant fit, instead of waiting for custom molds. Open and closed domes are not appropriate for all hearing losses, but they’re comfortable, lightweight, and provide a more natural sound without any extra cost. However, they’re less secure than custom fit hearing aids, which can lead to feedback and sound leakage.

A custom fit comes with all hearing aids fully housed in the ear. Custom fits provide better sound retention and a more secure fit, and work for all hearing losses— but they’re more challenging to fit and take some time to create, hence their higher price point.

Acoustic Fit – Real-Ear Measurements

The acoustic fit refers to how well the device is tuned to your unique needs and adjusted for optimal audibility of sound. This considers your specific hearing loss diagnosis and your ear anatomy with the use of Real-Ear Measurements.

Real-Ear Measurements are a clinical method used to assess how a hearing aid performs in the ear with the purpose of ensuring accurate audibility, speech understanding, and comfort. This allows for greater personalization in your fit, verification of the correct amplification, and accuracy of performance in the real-world environments the wearer frequents.

Real-ear measurements are considered the gold standard for fitting hearing aids properly and are recommended by professional audiology organizations worldwide.

How Real-Ear Measurements Work:

1. Probe Microphone Placement: A thin probe tube connected to a microphone is inserted into the ear canal near the eardrum.

2. Baseline Measurement: The system measures the natural response of the ear canal to sound without the hearing aid.

3. Hearing Aid Activation: The hearing aid is then inserted, and various sounds (e.g., speech or tones) are played through a speaker.

4. Measurement and Comparison: The system measures the amplified sound levels in the ear canal with the hearing aid and compares them to target levels based on the user’s hearing test and prescriptive targets for optimal audibility of speech across different pitches and maximum output (for comfort) (maximum loudness levels need to be measured during the hearing examination and used when running real-ear measurements).

The Latest and Greatest Features

The technology in a hearing aid refers to the sophisticated features that allow the device to process sound and amplify it in a way that best meets the wearer’s needs.

Making sounds louder is easy, but ensuring the right sounds (the sounds you want to hear) are audible (heard) while reducing other sounds (the sounds you don’t want to hear, background noise, other people talking) is a lot harder.

The technology in your hearing aid is the brains of the device: with the newest advancements and features available, that brain continues to get better and better at helping you hear with enhanced clarity and comprehension.

Key advancements to hearing aids include:

• Sound Processing: Modern hearing aids use digital signal processing (DSP) to analyze sounds in the environment and adjust amplification in real-time. Not all hearing aids have the same “brain.” The leading hearing aid manufacturers approach sound processing differently with the same goal in mind: to provide natural sound quality with better sound-in-noise support. The problem is there’s going to be some tradeoff between providing natural sound quality and better hearing in noise, so it’s important to work with a professional who understands your needs and specifics of multiple hearing aid manufacturers.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI): When considering sound processing, think about how 'smart' a hearing aid truly is. AI has been a part of hearing aids for years, but today, it plays a crucial role in differentiating one device from another. There are various types of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance sound quality, speech understanding, and user experience, from motion sensors to detect movement and adjust sound to real-time programming changes according to your specific listening habits. How well the hearing aid determines the environmental and listener needs varies by the different types and complexities of the AI within the device.

• Binaural Signal Processing: It is important for hearing aids to preserve (and enhance, if possible) the benefits of our two-eared hearing system. We have two ears for a reason, and our brain relies on different cues from each ear to process sound, particularly in complex listening situations like background noise (e.g., restaurants, groups).

• Binaural processing algorithms vary significantly among hearing aid manufacturers, each using unique approaches to enhance spatial awareness, speech clarity, and environmental adaptation.

• Noise Reduction: Most hearing aids have advanced noise reduction algorithms (formulas) that help reduce background noise or wind noise. The amount of noise reduction provided, when and where it’s provided, varies by hearing aid manufacturer and level of technology.

• Directional Microphones: Devices today have multiple microphones (2 on each device) to pick up sound from specific directions, such as from the front, to improve the clarity of speech in noisy environments. Directionality is important for understanding conversations in noise.

• Connectivity (Bluetooth & Wireless): Most hearing aids connect wirelessly to smartphones, TVs, and other devices. This allows you to stream audio directly to the hearing aid for better sound quality and convenience.

• Feedback Cancellation: Feedback (i.e., whistling, chirping sounds from the hearing aid) occurs when sound from the hearing aid leaks out of the ear and is picked up by the microphone, creating a whistling or buzzing noise. Many hearing aids now include feedback suppression technology to prevent this.

• Rechargeable Batteries: Newer hearing aids are often equipped with rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, eliminating the need for frequent battery changes.

• Personalization & Adjustments: Advanced hearing aids allow users to adjust settings based on their preferences or environment. Today, hearing aids offer apps that let you fine-tune your hearing aid’s performance, control volume, and adjust for different listening environments.

• Telecoil (T-Coil): This feature helps the hearing aid pick up sound from specific systems like hearing loops in theaters, churches, or public venues, providing a clearer signal in such environments.