Tag Archives: Hearing Amplifiers

Hearing Aids Detroit

Protecting Your Hearing Aids During the Summer

If you’re new to wearing hearing aids, you may have already noticed the challenges that certain temperatures can bring. In the winter, you’re constantly going back and forth between the outside cold weather and the inside warmth, which can cause condensation to form and damage your device. Even though the temperature may be slightly more consistent in the summer, there are other unique challenges to face. Here are some tips to ensure your hearing aids are safe throughout the Detroit summer.

Watch for Moisture

Even with water-resistant or waterproof hearing aids, it’s important to protect them from water and sweat that can harm the tiny parts of the device. If you’re outside in the heat, keep a dry cloth close by so you can protect them from sweat and keep them as dry as possible. You should also wear a sweatband if you are exercising. We wish you could swim with your hearing aid, but it’s best to take them out before getting in the pool.

Avoid High Temperatures

Devices that are left in high temperatures can eventually break down, so it’s important to avoid extreme heat as much as possible. When you are outside, take them out occasionally to let them cool and keep them in a cool, dry place when you’re not using them.

Be Careful With Sunscreen

First, it’s important to not avoid sunscreen just because of your hearing aids. However, when you are applying lotion, consider removing the hearing aids first, and then washing your hands before putting them back in. The chemicals in the lotion can cause permanent damage to the device. This is especially important when using a spray sunscreen that you don’t have as much control over.

Bacteria

To fight fungi and bacterial growth on your hearing aids, use antimicrobial wipes to clean the device. This should be done regularly to prevent harmful contaminants from damaging the aids. Keep some wipes available wherever you are, so that if something should happen, you can clean them right away.

Traveling

If you’re planning a summer vacation, it’s important to plan ahead so that you can fully enjoy the trip. Be sure to pack some extra batteries, cleaning supplies, and a waterproof container that you can store the aids in when you’re not using them. Before you book a hotel, be sure that they offer accommodations for the hearing impaired, including visual cues for phones, doorbells, and alarms.

The audiologists at Platinum Hearing Aids want you to have a fun, worry-free summer! Use these safety precautions to protect your hearing aids and we hope you have a wonderful summer.

Hearing Aids

How to Choose the Right Hearing Aid

At Platinum Hearing Aids, our mission is to help everyone in the Dearborn, Southfield, & Detroit, MI area achieve vibrant, crystal-clear hearing. For those suffering from hearing loss, hearing aids can provide a convenient, effective way to restore hearing – but there are many types of aids available, and it can be difficult to know which is the best for you. Ultimately, it comes down to finding the best aid for your unique situation and the degree of your hearing loss.

Types of Hearing Aids

Man holding a hearing aid in his hand

Hearing aids come in a variety of types and styles, and each is best-suited to a different level of hearing loss. You should choose a design based on the intensity of your hearing loss and how inconspicuous you want your aid to be. Types of hearing aids include:

  • Completely In the Canal (CIC): The smallest and least visible type of hearing aid, these fit entirely into your hearing canal. While they’re almost completely invisible, they can’t correct severe hearing loss, require tiny batteries that can be difficult to handle, and have shorter battery life and fewer features than other types.
  • In The Canal (ITC): This type of aid is custom-molded to your ear and fits partially into your ear canal. While it’s not as covert as a CIC, ITC aids are less visible than many other styles. These aids can contain more features than CIC hearing aids, but they may be difficult to adjust due to size.
  • In The Ear (ITE): An in the ear hearing aid may fill the entire bowl-shaped area of your ear (called a full shell) or only the smaller inner section (half shell). ITE aids are more visible than ITC aids, but they can also correct severe hearing loss and include more robust features.
  • Behind The Ear (BTE): A behind-the-ear hearing aid hooks behind the ear and has a small tube that runs into the molded piece that fits in the ear canal. These aids are generally larger than other models, but also can have stronger amplification and more features – plus, some newer models are slim and barely visible behind the ear. These aids can correct almost any degree of hearing loss.
  • Receiver In Canal (RIC): These aids are essentially the same as behind-the-ear hearing aids, with the only difference being that instead of a tube running into the ear, a tiny wire connects the amplification device to the speaker (receiver), which sits in the canal.
  • Open Fit: This model also uses essentially the same design as behind-the-ear aids, but instead of a tube connecting the amplifier to a molded earpiece, the tube simply sits in the ear and leaves the ear canal open. This allows ambient sound to enter the ear naturally, blending with amplified sound from the hearing aid. This style may be appropriate for people with certain types of hearing loss.

Schedule A Consultation in Detroit

Your hearing is a vital, critical part of your life, and you deserve hearing that’s not just functional, but crystal clear. At Platinum Hearing Aids, our mission is to help you achieve that. Call us today at 313-381-4810 to find out more about the different types of hearing aids available, or request an appointment online to find out which type might be right for you. We look forward to helping you reclaim the freedom of great hearing through high-quality, custom-fit aids.