After months (maybe even years) of waiting, you’ve finally decided to give us a call to see if you need hearing aids. You have been resisting this like so many others. But the stress of living life without being able to hear has finally become too hard to ignore.
So it’s a bit disheartening when you’re sitting in the hearing specialist’s office and you learn that you’re going to have to wait another two weeks for custom fit hearing aids.
That’s another two weeks coping with those lost moments before you can begin getting them back. But you could try a simple little device add on called a hearing aid dome instead.
What exactly is a hearing aid dome?
They sound kind of epic, right? Like some kind of arena where hearing aids duel in ancient, mythical combat. Welcome to the Hearing Aid Dome: Two hearing aids enter…but only one leaves!
Well, it’s a bit less thrilling than that. They are pretty cool though. Hearing aid domes go on the end of your hearing aid speakers like little earbuds. Generally made of plastic or silicone, they fit around that little bit that goes inside your ear canal, connecting to the tubing of your hearing aid. They’re made for both behind-the-ear or inside-the-ear-canal models of hearing aids. And they generally do two things:
- They situate the hearing aid speaker (the part that you listen to) in the most effective position inside of your ear canal. And they secure the speaker so it won’t jiggle around in your ear.
- They can help limit the amount of external sound you hear, especially when that outside sound can impede the functionality of your hearing aid. When properly used, hearing aid domes give you some extra control and work to improve sound clarity.
Domes for hearing aids look sort of like those bulbs at the end of your earbuds. There are several hearing aid dome styles, so we will help you choose the one that’s best for your needs.
What is the difference between hearing aid domes?
Open types and closed types each let in different amounts of ambient sound.
Hearing aid domes come in different types, 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 advantage of amplification.
Closed Domes
These domes let less outside sound in through fewer and smaller holes. For people with more severe hearing loss, background noise can be really distracting and this type of dome can help with that.
Power Domes
Power domes have no holes and totally block external sounds. This means virtually no sound at all can get into the ear canal. These are most effective for extremely severe hearing loss.
Do hearing aid domes need to be changed?
Every two to three months will be the ideal schedule for changing your hearing aid domes (your ears can be a bit dirty in there).
Hearing aid domes can typically be worn right out of the box. As a matter of fact, that’s one of their biggest benefits.
What are the advantages of hearing aid domes?
Hearing aid domes are popular for a wide array of reasons. The most widespread advantages include the following:
- The external world sounds more clear and natural: You can be certain your hearing aids create a clear, natural sound quality by picking the right type of hearing aid domes. That’s because some sound will still (probably) get through. Once again, this depends on the type of dome, and we will help you with this.
- You’re able to hear your own voice: A natural level of sound can get through some types of hearing aid domes. So you will still be capable of hearing your own voice. You’ll most likely wear 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 need to wait. You can un-box them, put them on your hearing aid and you’re good to go. For people who don’t want to wait for custom fit hearing aids, it’s the ideal option. And if you want to demo a hearing aid before you purchase it, they’re good for that too. With hearing aid domes, patients don’t have to sacrifice sound clarity to get quicker results.
- Hearing aid domes can be more discrete: Hearing aid domes aren’t very big, especially when they’re in your ear. In this way, they can be pretty discrete.
And again, this will mean you’re not as likely to leave your hearing aid sitting on your nightstand.
What are the 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 think about before deciding. Among the most prevalent are the following:
- They’re not always comfortable: Some individuals are uncomfortable with the feeling of something blocking their ear canal. Hearing specialists call this sensation “occlusion,” and some individuals can find it intensely uncomfortable. In addition, if you pull 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. You’ll probably need to come in and see us to have it removed if this happens.
- Occasionally, they can cause feedback: Feedback, though not that common, sometimes does occur. This is especially true for individuals who are dealing with high-frequency hearing loss.
- Not ideal for all forms of hearing loss: As an example, hearing aid domes won’t be the ideal choice if you have high frequency hearing loss or profound hearing loss. Again, the feedback can become an issue with high frequency hearing loss. For people who have profound hearing loss, it’s really the hearing aid itself that’s the issue: the type of hearing aid commonly 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?
Ultimately, the choice of whether you should use hearing aid domes or not is mostly a personal one. We can help but it’s up to you. And we will look at your specific needs and help advise you on the pros and cons.
For some individuals, it may be worth waiting the extra two weeks for a custom-fit device. For others, the quick results of hearing aids you can wear today will build healthy, lifelong hearing habits.
The nice thing is that you’ve got options.
