After months (possibly even years) of waiting, you’ve finally resolved to contact us to see if you should get hearing aids. You’ve been resisting this like so many other people. But the stress of living life without being able to hear has finally become too much.
So it’s a bit disheartening when you’re at 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. However, there is another alternative: a deceptively simple device add-on, known as hearing aid domes.
What exactly is a hearing aid dome?
They sound sort of grand, right? Like some type 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 little less thrilling than that. They are rather cool though. Hearing aid domes are like tiny earbuds that you can put on the end of your hearing aid speaker. Typically made of plastic or silicone, they fit over that little part that goes in your ear canal, attaching to the tubing of your hearing aid. They’re made for both behind-the-ear or inside-the-ear-canal models of hearing aids. Here are the two general functions:
- They position the hearing aid speaker (the part that you listen to) in an optimal position within your ear canal. And they position the speaker so it won’t jiggle around inside of your ear.
- Sometimes, external sound can impede the sound of your hearing aid and hearing aid domes help stop that by regulating 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 small bulbs at the end of earbuds are a lot like hearing aid domes. There are multiple hearing aid dome styles, so we will help you select 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 background sound.
Hearing aid dome types include:
Open Domes
With these, more sound is able to pass through little holes in the dome. You get the benefit of amplification while still being able to process outside sounds.
Closed Domes
As the name implies, these domes have fewer holes and block more ambient sound than open domes can. These are better for more advanced hearing loss where ambient noise can be distracting.
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 practical for extremely severe hearing loss.
How frequently should you change your hearing aid domes?
Every two to three months will be the best schedule for changing your hearing aid domes (your ears can be a bit unclean in there).
Hearing aid domes can typically be worn right out of the box. That’s one of the greatest things about them.
What are the benefits of hearing aid domes?
There are numerous reasons why hearing aid domes are prevalent. The most common benefits include the following:
- The outside world sounds more clear and natural: By selecting the best hearing aid dome type, you can ensure that your hearing aids produce a natural overall sound and enhanced sound clarity. Most likely, some sound will still get through and that’s the reason for this. We can help you determine the type that’s ideal for you.
- No fitting time: One of the most prominent (and immediate) benefits of hearing aid domes is that you don’t have to wait. You can put them in and use your hearing aid right away. This is a perfect solution for individuals who don’t want to wait weeks for custom fit hearing aids. And if you want to demo a hearing aid before you buy it, they’re great for that too. For people who want faster results, hearing aid domes can provide a way to achieve that without sacrificing the quality of your sound clarity.
- 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’re more likely to use your hearing aids more often if they sound clear and natural.
- Hearing aid domes can be more discrete: Hearing aid domes are fairly small, particularly when they’re tucked into your ear. In this way, they can be rather discrete.
And, once again, this means many people are more likely to use those hearing aids more often.
What are the downsides to hearing aid domes?
As with any hearing device or medical treatment, there are some drawbacks and trade-offs to hearing aid domes, trade=offs you’ll want to think about before making a decision. Among the most prevalent are the following:
- They aren’t always comfortable: Having something plugging the ear canal can be extremely uncomfortable for some people. Hearing specialists call this feeling “occlusion,” and some individuals can find it intensely unpleasant. Additionally, if you take your hearing aid dome out too quickly (or don’t clean it often enough), there’s the chance that it may separate from the tubing and get stuck in your ear canal. If this occurs, you’ll most likely need to come see us to get it removed.
- Sometimes, they can cause feedback: Feedback, though not that common, sometimes does occur. For people who are dealing with high frequency hearing loss, this is especially true.
- Some forms of hearing loss aren’t suitable for hearing aid domes: For instance, if you have profound hearing loss or high frequency hearing loss, hearing aid domes might not be the best option for you. Once again, the feedback can become a problem with high frequency hearing loss. It’s the hearing aid itself that’s a problem with profound hearing loss: you’ll need something that’s larger and which has more power than the types commonly associated with hearing aid domes.
So are hearing aid domes for me?
Ultimately, the choice of whether you should use hearing aid domes or not is largely a personal one. We can help but it’s your choice. And we will look at your specific needs and help advise you on the pros and cons.
Some individuals may do better waiting for a custom fitting. Others will create healthy lifelong hearing habits by choosing a solution that allows them to begin using their new hearing aids immediately.
You have options and that’s the nice thing.
