After months (possibly even years) of waiting, you’ve finally resolved to contact us to find out if you need hearing aids. 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 when you do finally come in and then you find out that you will still have to wait another two weeks before you get your custom fit hearing aids, it can be frustrating.
That’s another two weeks coping with those lost moments before you can start getting them back. But you could try a basic little device add on called a hearing aid dome instead.
What exactly is a hearing aid dome?
They sound kind of grand, right? Like some kind of arena where hearing aids battle in ancient, mythological combat. Welcome to the Hearing Aid Dome: Two hearing aids enter…but only one leaves!
Well, it’s a little less thrilling than that. But they are pretty neat. Hearing aid domes are like little earbuds that you can place on the end of your hearing aid speaker. Typically made of plastic or silicone, they fit over that little bit that goes inside your ear canal, attaching to the tubing of your hearing aid. They’re made for behind-the-ear or inside-the-ear-canal style hearing aids. And they generally do two things:
- They position the hearing aid speaker (the part that you listen to) in the most effective position within your ear canal. And they help secure the speaker in place. That way it’s not moving around.
- Sometimes, outside sound can interfere with the sound of your hearing aid and hearing aid domes help stop 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 clarity.
Those little bulbs at the end of earbuds are a lot like hearing aid domes. You will have to choose the hearing aid dome that’s best for you from a number of kinds, and we can assist you in doing that.
What is the difference between hearing aid domes?
Open types and closed types each let in different amounts of background sound.
Hearing aid dome types include:
Open Domes
These have openings in the dome that allow more outside sound to pass through and into your ears. 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. For individuals with more significant hearing loss, ambient noise can be really distracting and this kind of dome can help with that.
Power Domes
Power domes don’t have any holes and totally block external sounds. With these, nearly no outside sound can get in. These domes will be best for people with very severe hearing loss.
How frequently should you change your hearing aid domes?
For best effect, you should swap out your hearing aid domes every 2-3 months (your ears can be a bit dirty in there).
Hearing aid domes can typically be used right out of the box. That’s one of the best things about them.
What are the benefits of hearing aid domes?
There are numerous reasons why hearing aid domes are popular. Here are some prevailing advantages:
- No fitting time: Not needing to wait is one of the best advantages of hearing aid domes. You can put them in and use your hearing aid immediately. This is an ideal option for individuals 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 buy them. For people who want results faster, hearing aid domes can provide a way to achieve that without compromising the quality of your sound clarity.
- You can hear your own voice: Some hearing aid domes are designed 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 much more natural, which means you’re likely to use your hearing aids far more often.
- Hearing aid domes can be more discrete: Hearing aid domes are pretty small, especially when they’re tucked into your ear. In this way, they can be rather discrete.
- The external world sounds more clear and natural: By selecting the correct hearing aid dome type, you can be certain that your hearing aids produce a natural overall sound and improved sound clarity. Most likely, some sound will still get through and that’s the reason for this. Once again, this depends on the type of dome, and we can help you with this.
And again, this will mean you’re not as likely to leave your hearing aid sitting in a drawer.
Are there drawbacks to hearing aid domes?
You’ll want to be mindful of some of the drawbacks and trade-offs that come with hearing aid domes. Here are a few of the most common:
- They’re not always comfortable: Having something plugging the ear canal can be really uncomfortable for some people. Hearing specialists call this sensation “occlusion,” and some individuals can find it intensely uncomfortable. Also, your hearing aid dome can get lodged in your ear if you pull it out too quickly or if you don’t keep it clean. If this happens, you’ll 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 can occur. For people who are dealing with high frequency hearing loss, this is particularly true.
- Some forms of hearing loss aren’t suited for hearing aid domes: As an example, hearing aid domes won’t be the ideal choice if you have high frequency hearing loss or profound hearing loss. For people 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 typically associated with hearing aid domes is usually not large or powerful enough for this kind of hearing loss.
Should I get hearing aid domes?
It’s mostly a personal decision whether you use hearing aid domes. We can help but it’s up to you. And we will be able to help you understand all the pros and cons related to your unique hearing health.
For some people, it may be worth waiting the extra couple of weeks for a custom-fit device. Others will build healthy lifelong hearing habits by choosing a solution that lets them begin using their new hearing aids immediately.
You’ve got options and that’s the nice thing.
