After months (possibly even years) of waiting, you’ve finally decided 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 going through life without being able to hear has finally become too hard to ignore.
So when you do finally come in and then you learn that you will still need to wait another couple of weeks before you get your custom fit hearing aids, it can be disheartening.
That means that you will be missing some of life’s precious moments for two more weeks. Of course, there is another alternative: a deceptively basic device add-on, called hearing aid domes.
What exactly is a hearing aid dome?
They sound kind of grand, right? Like some type of arena where hearing aids battle in ancient, mythological combat. Only one hearing aid can come forth victorious from the hearing aid dome.
It’s not really that thrilling. They are rather cool though. Hearing aid domes go on the end of your hearing aid speakers like small earbuds. Generally 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 behind-the-ear or inside-the-ear-canal style hearing aids. And they basically do two things:
- They guarantee that the speaker of the hearing aid is seated in an optimal position in your ear. And they position the speaker so it won’t jiggle around in your ear.
- They can help limit the amount of outside sound you hear, especially when that outside sound can impede the functionality of your hearing aid. When used correctly, hearing aid domes offer you some extra control and work to improve sound clarity.
Domes for hearing aids look sort of like those bulbs at the end of your earbuds. You will have to select the hearing aid dome that’s ideal for you from a number of kinds, and we can assist you in doing that.
Different types of hearing aid domes
Open types and closed types each let in different amounts of background sound.
Hearing aid domes come in different kinds, including:
Open Domes
With these, more sound is capable of passing through little holes in the dome. You get the advantage of amplification while still being able to process external sounds.
Closed Domes
These domes let less external sound in through fewer and smaller holes. For people with more severe hearing loss, background noise can be very distracting and this type of dome can help with that.
Power Domes
Power domes completely block the ear canal and have no holes. This means very little to no sound at all can get into the ear canal. These are most effective for very profound hearing loss.
Do hearing aid domes need to be changed?
For best effect, you should swap out your hearing aid domes every 2-3 months (your ears can be a bit unclean in there).
For most people, hearing aid domes can be used right out of the box. That’s one of the best things about them.
What are the benefits of hearing aid domes?
There are numerous reasons why hearing aid domes are prevalent. 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 can still hear your own voice as you naturally would. This makes the clarity of sound seem a lot more natural, which means you’re likely to use your hearing a great deal more often.
- No fitting time: Not having to wait is one of the greatest benefits of hearing aid domes. You can pop them in and use your hearing aid immediately. This is a perfect option for people who don’t want to wait weeks for custom fit hearing aids. And if you want to try out a hearing aid before you buy it, they’re good for that too. With hearing aid domes, you don’t need to sacrifice sound clarity to get quicker results.
- The outside world sounds more clear and natural: By finding the right hearing aid dome type, you can be certain that your hearing aids produce a natural overall sound and improved sound clarity. Most likely, some sound will still get in and that’s the reason for this. We can help you identify the kind that’s ideal for you.
- Hearing aid domes can be more discrete: Hearing aid domes are pretty small, especially when they’re tucked inside your ear. In this way, they can be rather discrete.
And, once again, this means many individuals are more likely to use those hearing aids more often.
Are there drawbacks to hearing aid domes?
You’ll want to be aware of some of the downsides and trade-offs that come with hearing aid domes. Among the most prevalent are the following:
- They can sometimes be uncomfortable: Some individuals are uncomfortable with the feeling of something filling their ear canal. Hearing specialists call this feeling “occlusion,” and some people can find it intensely uncomfortable. Also, your hearing aid dome can become stuck in your ear if you pull it out too fast or if you don’t keep it clean. You’ll probably need to come in and see us to get it removed if this happens.
- They can sometimes be more prone to feedback: Feedback, though not very common, occasionally does happen. For people who are dealing with high frequency hearing loss, this is especially true.
- Not ideal for all types of hearing loss: As an example, hearing aid domes won’t be the ideal option if you have high frequency hearing loss or profound hearing loss. For those with high-frequency hearing loss, once again, it’s the feedback that becomes the problem. For individuals who have profound hearing loss, it’s really the hearing aid itself that’s the issue: the type of hearing aid typically associated with hearing aid domes is normally not large or powerful enough for this form of hearing loss.
So are hearing aid domes right for me?
It’s mostly a personal decision whether you use hearing aid domes. It’s up to you but we can help. And we will discuss your individual needs and help advise you on the pros and cons.
Some people may be better off waiting for a custom fitting. Others will build healthy lifelong hearing habits by choosing a solution that allows them to start using their new hearing aids immediately.
The nice thing is that you have options.