After months (maybe even years) of waiting, you’ve finally decided to give us a call to find out if you should get hearing aids. You have been resisting this like so many other people. But the hassle, the lost moments, the missing conversations, they all finally became too much.
So when you do finally come in and then you learn that you will still need to wait another two weeks before you obtain your custom fit hearing aids, it can be discouraging.
That’s another two weeks struggling with those lost moments before you can begin 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?
Doesn’t that sound kind of epic? Like hearing aids fighting in some kind of ancient mythical arena. Welcome to the Hearing Aid Dome: Two hearing aids enter…but only one leaves!
It’s not quite that exciting. They are pretty cool though. Hearing aid domes go on the end of your hearing aid speakers like little earbuds. 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 situate the hearing aid speaker (the part that you listen to) in an ideal position inside of your ear canal. And they secure the speaker so it won’t jiggle around in your ear.
- On occasion, outside sound can impede the sound of your hearing aid and hearing aid domes help avoid that by controlling the amount of outside sound. When used correctly, hearing aid domes provide you with a bit of extra control and work to enhance sound clarity.
Those small bulbs at the end of earbuds are similar to hearing aid domes. You will have to choose the hearing aid dome that’s ideal for you from several kinds, and we can assist you in doing that.
Different types of hearing aid domes
Most come in open and closed designs, each letting in more or less background sound.
Hearing aid dome models include:
Open Domes
These have openings in the dome that allow more outside sound to get through and into your ears. You get the benefit of amplification while still being able to process external sounds.
Closed Domes
As the name indicates, these domes have fewer openings and stop more ambient sound than open domes can. For individuals with more severe hearing loss, ambient noise can be really distracting and this type of dome can help with that.
Power Domes
Power domes totally block the ear canal and have no venting. With these, nearly no external sound can get in. These domes will be ideal for people with extremely severe hearing impairment.
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 primary advantages.
How will I benefit by using hearing aid buds?
Hearing aid domes are popular for a wide variety of reasons. Here are some prevailing benefits:
- Hearing aid domes can be more discrete: Hearing aid domes are pretty small, especially when they’re tucked inside your ear. They’re rather discrete in this way.
- No fitting time: Not needing to wait is one of the best benefits of hearing aid domes. You can un-box them, pop them on your hearing aid and you’re ready to go. This is an ideal solution for individuals who don’t want to wait weeks for custom fit hearing aids. And if you want to try out a hearing aid before you buy it, they’re great for that too. For people who want faster results, hearing aid domes can provide a way to accomplish that without compromising the quality of your sound clarity.
- The external world sounds more clear and natural: By selecting the right hearing aid dome type, you can ensure that your hearing aids produce a natural overall sound and enhanced sound clarity. That’s because some sound will still (probably) get in. We can help you identify the kind that’s best for you.
- 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 able to hear 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.
And, again, this means many people are more likely to use those hearing aids more often.
Are there drawbacks to hearing aid domes?
You’ll want to be aware of some of the downsides and trade-offs that come with hearing aid domes. Among the most prevalent are the following:
- They can at times be uncomfortable: Having something plugging the ear canal can be really uncomfortable for some people. Some individuals find this sensation, called “occlusion” by hearing specialist, extremely uncomfortable. Also, your hearing aid dome can get stuck in your ear if you pull it out too quickly or if you don’t keep it clean. 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 occur. This is especially true for those who have high-frequency hearing loss.
- Not suitable for all forms of hearing loss: For example, if you have profound hearing loss or high frequency hearing loss, hearing aid domes may not be the preferred option for you. For people with high-frequency hearing loss, again, it’s the feedback that becomes the problem. For people who have profound hearing loss, it’s really the hearing aid itself that’s the issue: the kind of hearing aid commonly associated with hearing aid domes is normally not large or powerful enough for this kind of hearing loss.
Should I use hearing aid domes?
Inevitably, the decision of whether you should use hearing aid domes or not is mostly a personal one. We can help but it’s your choice. 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. For others, the immediate results of hearing aids you can use today will build healthy, lifelong hearing habits.
You have options and that’s the nice thing.