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 frustrating when you’re at the hearing specialist’s office and you find out that you’re going to have to wait another two weeks for custom fit hearing aids.
That’s another two weeks dealing with those lost moments before you can start getting them back. But you could try a basic little device add on known as a hearing aid dome instead.
What are hearing aid domes?
They sound kind of grand, right? Like hearing aids dueling in some kind of ancient mythical arena. Only one hearing aid can emerge victorious from the hearing aid dome.
It’s not quite that thrilling. But they are rather neat. Hearing aid domes are put on the end of your hearing aid speakers like tiny earbuds. Usually made of silicone or plastic, they connect to the tubing of your hearing aid and fit around the part that goes in your ear canal. You can use them with both behind-the-ear and in-ear models. And they basically do two things:
- They assure that the speaker of the hearing aid is sitting in an ideal position in your ear. And they secure the speaker so it won’t jiggle around inside of your ear.
- Sometimes, outside 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 used correctly, hearing aid domes provide you with some extra control and work to enhance sound clarity.
Those small bulbs at the end of earbuds are similar to hearing aid domes. There are multiple hearing aid dome types, so we will help you select the one that’s best for your needs.
Different types of hearing aid domes
Open types and closed types each let in different amounts of ambient sound.
Hearing aid domes come in different kinds, including:
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 benefit of amplification.
Closed Domes
These domes let less outside sound in through fewer and smaller holes. These are better for more pronounced hearing loss where background noise can be distracting.
Power Domes
Power domes completely block the ear canal and have no holes. This means very little to no sound at all can get into the ear canal. These are most practical for very severe hearing loss.
How often should you change your hearing aid domes?
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).
Hearing aid domes can usually be worn right out of the box. As a matter of fact, that’s one of their primary benefits.
How will I benefit by wearing hearing aid buds?
There are a number of reasons why hearing aid domes are prevalent. Here are a few common benefits:
- Hearing aid domes can be more discrete: Hearing aid domes aren’t very big, particularly when they’re in your ear. They’re rather discrete in this way.
- You’re able to hear your own voice: Some hearing aid domes are designed to let a natural amount of sound come in. This means you can still hear your own voice as you normally would. You’re more likely to use your hearing aids more often if they sound clear and natural.
- No fitting time: One of the most prominent (and immediate) benefits of hearing aid domes is that you don’t have to wait. You can pop them in and wear your hearing aid right away. This is a perfect option for people who don’t want to wait weeks for custom fit hearing aids. It’s also good for people who want to try out their hearing aids before they purchase them. With hearing aid domes, patients don’t have to sacrifice sound clarity to get quicker results.
- 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. Most likely, some sound will still get in and that’s the reason for this. We can help you identify the type that’s best for you.
And, again, this means many people are more likely to wear those hearing aids more often.
Are there drawbacks to hearing aid domes?
As with any hearing device or medical procedure, there are some downsides and trade-offs to hearing aid domes, trade=offs you’ll want to consider before deciding. Among the most prevalent are the following:
- They can sometimes be uncomfortable: Some people don’t like the feeling of something filling their ear canal. Hearing specialists call this sensation “occlusion,” and some individuals can find it intensely uncomfortable. In addition, if you take your hearing aid dome out too quickly (or don’t clean it often enough), there’s the possibility that it may separate from the tubing and get stuck in your ear canal. If this occurs, you’ll likely need to come see us to get it removed.
- They can sometimes be more prone to feedback: Feedback isn’t necessarily typical, but it does occur. For people who have high frequency hearing loss, this is particularly true.
- Not suitable for all forms of hearing loss: As an illustration, hearing aid domes won’t be the best option if you have high frequency hearing loss or profound hearing loss. For people with high-frequency hearing loss, again, it’s the feedback that becomes the problem. For those with profound hearing loss, it’s really the hearing aid itself that’s the problem: the kind of hearing aid typically 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 your choice but we can help. And we will look at your individual needs and help advise you on the pros and cons.
Some individuals might do better waiting for a custom fitting. For other people, the quick results of hearing aids you can wear today will create healthy, lifelong hearing habits.
The good thing is that you’ve got options.