On your way to the office, do you often stop into Monster Music & Movies to pick up some new vinyl? If so, you may wish you could use headphones, but your hearing aids can prevent you from doing so. Instructions for the Best Possible Listening Experience When Using Headphones with Hearing Aids, This article is written for those who rely on hearing aids and want to get the most out of their headphones.
Whether you’re an avid listener of audiobooks, a fan of music, or just like the odd movie, this guide will help you get the most out of your listening experience without sacrificing convenience or quality. We’ll go through your options below, categorizing them by the many types of hearing aids on the market.
1. Understanding Different Hearing Aid Styles and How to Choose
The headphones you choose will be determined by the design of your hearing aid. The most often-used types of hearing aids are:
- The ear canal, in-the-canal, and behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids.
- (CIC) or “completely in the canal,”
- (RIC) or a receiver in the canal.
- Invisible-In-Canal (IIC)
2. Selecting the Appropriate Earbuds for Hearing Aids.
Here are some things to keep in mind while shopping for headphones:
- Check the headphones’ compatibility with your hearing aid before purchasing.
- Check for comfort to see whether they can be worn for lengthy periods of time.
- Choose high-quality headphones to get the most out of your listening experience.
- Wireless capabilities: avoiding the hassle of tangled cables is a major perk of wireless headphones.
3. Headphone Options for People Who Use Hearing Aids
Hearing aid wearers may choose from three primary varieties of headphones:
- Over-the-ear headphones cover the full ear and work with many hearing aids, including behind-the-ear (BTE) and receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) models.
- On-ear headphones are worn over the ear and are often used with in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids.
- Insertable in-ear headphones (IEMs) are designed to work with CIC and IIC hearing aids and are worn within the ear canal.
4. Insertable Hearing Aids
Designs for in-ear hearing aids include the ones below:
- Invisible-in-the-canal (IIC) and completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aids are the smallest and most covert options available.
- Hearing aids using ITC technology are larger and sit within the ear canal rather than on the ear’s outer rim.
- Hearing aids, particularly those that are small and discreet, are placed in the ear canal.
Over-the-ear and on-ear headphones work with both the ear canal and bowl styles of in-ear hearing aids. Headphones may help those who have IICs.
5. Behind-the-ear gadgets
Some models of hearing aids that are worn behind the ear are shown below.
- Both behind-the-ear (BTE) and in-the-ear (micro BTE) hearing aids have their main components stored in a shell that sits behind the ear and is linked through tubing to an earmold.
- In contrast to traditional hearing aids, which house the speaker behind the ear, RIC and RITE devices place the speaker directly in the ear canal.
- If you use hearing aids behind your ears, you should look for headphones with full-ear cups. To prevent feedback from occurring, make sure the headphones’ speakers are located further away from the hearing aids’ microphones.
6. Aids to Hearing that Use Bluetooth Technology
Those who have trouble hearing may want to consider getting hearing aids that are Bluetooth-enabled so they may listen to music in peace and quiet. These headphones allow you to listen to music from your smartphone, tablet, computer, or another Bluetooth-enabled device wirelessly.
You Won’t Be Able to Use Bluetooth to Communicate
If your devices don’t have Bluetooth capabilities or you don’t want to upgrade them, there are other ways to communicate. Finding headphones that work well with your hearing aid may need some trial and error.
7. Tips for Listening to Music with Over-Ear Headphones and Hearing Aids.
Follow these steps:
- You may use both the microphone and the telecoil in your hearing aid by switching to the “M” or “MT” option.
- Make sure the headphones completely enclose your hearing aids before placing them over your ears.
- Turn up or down the volume on your gadget and/or hearing aids as needed.
8. In-Ear Headphones and Hearing Aids: A User’s Guide
People who use behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids should know that they shouldn’t use in-ear headphones. If you use a CIC or IIC hearing aid, however, try these methods instead:
- Take your hearing aids out carefully.
- Put the headphones’ earpieces into your ears.
- Make sure the volume is turned up to an acceptable level.
9. Optimizing the Sound Quality of Your Hearing Aid
For the best possible listening experience, you should make sure your hearing aid is set up properly. The best way to get your hearing aid ready for usage with headphones is to schedule an appointment with your audiologist or hearing aid provider.
10. Common Problems and How to Fix Them
Attempt the following if problems with sound quality or feedback persist:
- Move your headphones or hearing aids to a more comfortable position.
- Reduce the volume on your mobile device and/or hearing aids.
- Adjusting your hearing aids requires a visit to the audiologist.
11. The Best Headphones for People Who Use Hearing Aids
While certain headphones may be more popular among those who use hearing aids than others, there are several brands that are consistently praised for their sound quality and comfort. The Sennheiser HD 599, Bose QuietComfort 35 II, and the Sony WH-1000XM4 are just a few examples.
With any luck, this article will help you get the most out of your hearing aid so you can listen to music, podcasts, or watch movies without any interruptions. Always be mindful of your surroundings and avoid listening at unsafe levels to protect your hearing.
FAQs: How To Use Headphones With Hearing Aids
What Headphones Are Good for Hearing Aids? How to Choose?
youtube source
How do you use headphones if you have hearing aids?
When using headphones with these hearing devices, choose a model which fits completely over the hearing aids’ microphone, which is located outside the ear canal and behind the ear. If it doesn’t fit completely over, the hearing aid will pick up external sound instead of what is coming from the headphone.
Can you use headphones with hearing loss?
Duration of exposure to noise is also a major factor when examining headphones and hearing loss. “As a rule of thumb, you should only use MP3 devices at levels up to 60% of maximum volume for a total of 60 minutes a day,” says Dr. Foy. “The louder the volume, the shorter your duration should be.
How do you listen to music with hearing aids?
Use clear adhesive tape: Try putting adhesive tape (such as Scotch tape) over the hearing aid microphone when listening to music. This will reduce the loud parts of music, which can overload the hearing aid and cause distortion. This is especially useful for loud music listening or live music performances.
Read more: Best headphones for the hearing impaired
