After months (maybe even years) of waiting, you’ve finally resolved to contact us to find out if you should get hearing aids. Like many other people, you’ve been resisting this. But the difficulty of living life without being able to hear has finally become too hard to ignore.
So it’s a little discouraging when you’re at the hearing specialist’s office and you learn that you’re going to need to wait another two weeks for custom fit hearing aids.
That’s another two weeks struggling with those lost moments before you can begin getting them back. Of course, there is another option: a deceptively simple device add-on, called hearing aid domes.
What exactly is a hearing aid dome?
They sound sort of grand, 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 exciting than that. But they are rather neat. Hearing aid domes are like tiny earbuds that you can place on the end of your hearing aid speaker. Generally made of plastic or silicone, they fit around that little bit that goes inside your ear canal, attaching to the tubing of your hearing aid. You can use them with both behind-the-ear and in-ear models. Here are the two general functions:
- They situate the hearing aid speaker (the bit that you listen to) in an optimal position within your ear canal. And they secure the speaker so it won’t move around in your ear.
- Sometimes, external sound can interfere with the sound of your hearing aid and hearing aid domes help stop that by controlling the amount of outside sound. Hearing aid domes work to improve the sound clarity and offer an extra bit of control when used correctly.
Those little bulbs at the end of earbuds are similar to hearing aid domes. There are multiple hearing aid dome types, so we will help you choose the one that’s best for your needs.
Different types of hearing aid domes
Open types and closed types each let in different amounts of ambient sound.
Hearing aid dome types include:
Open Domes
With these, more sound is capable of passing through little holes in the dome. This helps your ear process ambient sounds along with the benefit of amplification.
Closed Domes
These domes let less external sound in through fewer and smaller holes. These are better for more pronounced hearing loss where ambient noise can be a distraction.
Power Domes
Power domes have no holes and completely block external sounds. This means virtually no sound at all can pass into the ear canal. These are most effective for very severe hearing loss.
Do hearing aid domes need to be changed?
For best results, you should swap out your hearing aid domes every 2-3 months (your ears aren’t the dirtiest place, but they aren’t the cleanest, either).
Hearing aid domes can typically be worn right out of the box. In fact, that’s one of their biggest benefits.
What are the benefits of hearing aid domes?
Hearing aid domes are popular for a wide variety of reasons. The most widespread benefits include the following:
- You can hear your own voice: A natural level of sound can get through some models of hearing aid domes. This means you will still be able to hear your own voice as you normally would. This makes the clarity of sound seem much more natural, which means you’re likely to use your hearing aids far more often.
- No fitting time: Not having to wait is one of the greatest advantages of hearing aid domes. You can put them in and use your hearing aid immediately. This is an ideal solution for individuals who don’t want to wait weeks for custom fit hearing aids. It’s also good for people who want to demo their hearing aids before they buy them. For people who want faster results, hearing aid domes can provide a way to achieve that without compromising the quality of your sound clarity.
- Hearing aid domes can be more discrete: Hearing aid domes are pretty small, especially when they’re tucked into your ear. In this way, they can be pretty discrete.
- The external world sounds more clear and natural: By choosing the best hearing aid dome type, you can ensure that your hearing aids generate a natural overall sound and improved sound clarity. That’s because some sound will still (probably) get through. We can help you determine the type that’s best for you.
And again, this will mean you’re less likely to leave your hearing aid sitting in a drawer.
Are there drawbacks to hearing aid domes?
You’ll want to be mindful 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 filling the ear canal can be extremely uncomfortable for some individuals. Hearing specialists call this sensation “occlusion,” and some people can find it intensely unpleasant. In addition, if you take your hearing aid dome out too quickly (or don’t clean it often enough), there’s the chance that it might separate from the tubing and get stuck in your ear canal. If this occurs, you’ll likely need to come see us to have it removed.
- Sometimes, they can cause feedback: Feedback, though not that common, sometimes does occur. For individuals who are dealing with high frequency hearing loss, this is especially true.
- Some forms of hearing loss aren’t suited for hearing aid domes: As an example, hearing aid domes won’t be the ideal choice if you have high frequency hearing loss or profound hearing loss. For people with high-frequency hearing loss, once again, it’s the feedback that becomes the issue. For those with profound hearing loss, it’s really the hearing aid itself that’s the issue: you’ll need something that’s bigger and which has more power than the types typically associated with hearing aid domes.
Should I get hearing aid domes?
It’s largely a personal choice whether you use hearing aid domes. It’s your choice but we can help. And we will look at your specific needs and help advise you on the pros and cons.
Some individuals may be better off waiting for a custom fitting. Others will build healthy lifelong hearing habits by choosing a solution that allows them to begin using their new hearing aids immediately.
You’ve got options and that’s the good thing.
