Michigan Ear, Nose and Throat: Personal Preferences and Listening Needs

Before purchasing a hearing aid, consider your listening needs and discuss them with your audiologist:

What are your most difficult listening situations?
- How often does this happen?
- How much does it bother you?
When and where will you use your hearing aids?
- What types of background noises are present in those situations?
- Will you need to use your hearing aids in very damp or dusty environments?
Is your hearing loss progressive? If so, the amount of amplification will need to grow with you over time.

You may have additional needs or preferences that will affect your successful use of amplification:

Would you like the hearing aids to connect or interface with other equipment, such as cell phones, personal stereos, computers, or lapel microphones?
Are there any difficulties, such as vision loss, arthritis, hand tremors, or frequent ear infections that may interfere with using hearing aids?
Do you have a job or hobbies that would expose your hearing instruments to excessive dust, high humidity or splashing water?
Do you have anyone who can assist with taking care of the hearing aids, if needed? Who? How so?
What are your preferences for the size and style of your hearing aids?
What color would you like to have? You can match your hair color, skin color, or choose some other favorite color.
Which battery sizes can you manage to use?
Do you have a preference for a particular brand of hearing aid?
Do you want the aids to have manual or automatic controls? Do you need a remote control?

What else matters besides Style & Cost?