Hearing Aid FAQ
By Stephanie Anderson, Au.D., Family Audiology, Collin County LIVING WELL Magazine
Families and friends will be getting together for celebrations starting in November and spanning through the New Year. These gatherings are a wonderful time to enjoy those we love, but if you have difficulties hearing and cannot fully participate in conversations, you may spend the holiday season feeling isolated.
“What can I do to hear my best during the holidays?”
To ensure that your hearing aids are in tip-top shape, it is a good idea to schedule a Clean and Check. This service may be complimentary or available for a nominal fee. Your hearing aids will be cleaned and any parts showing wear and tear (tubes, domes, filters, microphone covers, etc.) can be replaced to ensure you are able to hear all the sounds of the holidays.
“How can I hear better at restaurants and loud parties?”
Requesting a table in the calmest part of the restaurant (away from the kitchen and bar area) can help decrease background noise. Whether you are celebrating in a restaurant or at home, sit with the lighting on the speaker’s face, not in your eyes. Most hearing aids also have directional microphone programs that switch the hearing aid from picking up sounds from all around you to focusing on sounds coming from the front. These settings can be automatic or may require a push button.
“What if I’m out of town and I have a hearing aid emergency?”
Contact your audiologist and report the issue. Depending on the timeline of your trip there may be different options. For minor hearing aid repairs, your audiologist might direct you to an office in your current city that is able to service the brand of your hearing aid. Hearing aids are also able to be sent to a lab for repair and shipped back to their office or back to your home town.
If you have specific questions regarding the use of your hearing aids, it is always best to consult with your audiologist.
Stephanie Anderson, Au.D., is a clinical audiologist at Family Audiology in Plano, Texas. To learn more about Family Audiology call 972-468-8004 or visit www.familyaud.com.
