How to Use Your Hearing Aids Controls

Your hearing aids are designed to adapt to your everyday auditory situations effortlessly. This means that your hearing aids will automatically adapt to your changing settings as you go from a busy convenience store, a windy beach to your quiet home. Soft sounds should be quiet but audible, while loud sounds should be loud but not uncomfortable.

Hearing aid users enjoy the capability of control over their hearing aids so that if there are sounds being produced by their hearing aid that aren’t normal, they’re able to adjust them so that sounds that aren’t meant to be there – such as a whistling sound – can be eliminated. 

Some users, for instance, benefit from a volume control that allows them to increase the volume when watching TV and reduce the volume during a loud football match. Other users like the ability to switch between profiles for different sound environments, like restaurants, movies or lectures.

Controlling your hearing aid

Different kinds of hearing aids will come with different controls. However, most hearing aids have common features that you can look out for.

Volume control

All hearing aids have a volume control, and this is usually a wheel or a lever on the hearing aid itself. The controls are pretty self-explanatory, but pushing the wheel or lever up turns the volume up and vice versa for turning the volume down. It may take some time to get used to volume settings, and you’ll soon learn when you need your volume a little higher and similarly, when you’d be more comfortable turning the volume down.

Induction loops

These enable hearing aid users to use the T setting to pick up sound more clearly at a distance or across a counter window. Sound is transferred directly to the hearing aid by a loop system, reducing most background noise. In many theatres, conference halls, booking offices and at bank counters, you will find induction loops. For listening to TV and audio equipment for example, you can also have an induction loop fitted at home.

T setting

The t setting on your hearing aids refers to the telecoil that’s fitted inside of your hearing aids. These are essentially a receiver that takes on the sounds around you and amplifies them into your ear. This enables you to use special listening equipment, such as an induction loop or a phone described as compatible with the hearing aid. 

If your hearing aid has an off-telecoil-microphone (O-T-M) switch, you'll switch to M most of the time to pick up sounds through the use of the hearing aid microphone. However, if you need to use an induction loop or hearing aid compatible telephone, your best option is to switch to T setting.

Directional microphones

Directional microphone hearing aids help you to focus more on sounds in front of you than sounds coming from the side or behind. When there is a lot of background noise, they can be especially helpful. It's best if you switch in various situations between directional and all round sound. 

Some hearing aids have other features, such as a button for changing different listening situations to different settings. Your audiologist and the device’s instruction manual can help you understand how to best utilize the various features.

Smartphone and accessory control

While your hearing aids may come fitted with controls, there are now other options you can explore. Thanks to smart technology, some hearing aids come with the ability to communicate with your smartphone, meaning you can design pre-made settings ready for different situations such as a football game, a coffee shop or even a nativity play.

Sometimes your hearing aid may have accessories that will complement the use and maximize your hearing capabilities. Students with hearing loss, for example, may have an external microphone they can give to their professor to wear so that even if the student is seated at the back of the class, they can still hear the lesson and not miss out on any vital education.

Every hearing aid has its own capabilities and is will be customized to your specific hearing loss, lifestyle and budget needs. If you’re ready to learn how to get the most out of your hearing aids or simply need some maintenance for your devices, trust the professionals at Davis Audiology. You can reach our team by calling us today at (864) 810-6238.