While hearing loss may be one of the most common medical conditions across the globe, however, there is nothing common in the way each person experiences it. There are multiple degrees of hearing loss and many different configurations related to it. Arguably, most of the degrees fall in the moderate to severe hearing loss.
But, what does it mean to suffer from moderate to severe hearing loss?
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What Is Moderate To Severe Hearing Loss?
A person suffering from mild or moderate hearing loss, it generally means that they find it difficult to hear sounds between 25 to 60 decibels (dB).
On the other hand, people who have severe hearing loss find it difficult to hear or understand sound below 60 dB. Furthermore, profound hearing loss patients find it challenging to listen to sounds below 80dB.
Considering most normal conversations fall in the 60dB range, people suffering from severe or profound hearing loss need more powerful amplification of speech. Moreover, it gets worse when there is external noise.
For example, if a patient is engaging in conversation with another patient, and a land mower that registers 90dB is on in the background, speech recognition is further hindered.
Treating Moderate to Severe Hearing Loss
The most common form of treatment for severe to profound hearing loss is high-powered hearing aids. These hearing aids contain advanced technology that is combined with most of the other feature provided by simpler versions of hearing aids.
The main difference is that these hearing ads have extra amplification and more powerful speech recognition features.
Hearing aids used to treat moderate to severe hearing loss are generally designed to be work behind-the-hear (BTE), as they have increased flexibility and provide customization options. Moreover, these devices give better access to sounds depending on the placement of the microphone.
How To Choose A Hearing Aid For Moderate To Severe Hearing Loss
While there is no doubt that an advanced hearing aid is the best way to treat moderate to severe hearing loss, you need to pick a hearing aid from a host of options available on the market.
Here are some things you could consider before choosing the best hearing aid model that will suit your requirements.
Do You Want Your Hearing Aid To Be Visible?
While hearing loss is a pretty common disease, some people don’t like to show off their hearing device as it could attract unwanted attention.
On the other hand, some people embrace their disability and flaunt their hearing aid by customizing it with various colours and styles. Hearing aids are basically like another piece of clothing that you wear on your body.
You can choose your style and colour, and can also decide if you want it to be visible or not. It may seem like a simple or ignorable topic; however, if you aren’t ready to answer questions about the hearing aid and your disability, it’s better to be prepared.
Do You Maintain An Outdoor or Indoor Lifestyle?
Do you prefer being watching TV at home or going to a pub on Saturday nights? The choice of your hearing aid should complement your lifestyle.
For example, if you like going out a lot, the background noises increase, which is generally the most common pain point while hearing conversations. So, ensure you choose a hearing aid model that can reduce background noise and enhance speech.
However, if you prefer staying at home and reading a book or catching up with a friend indoors, you can go with a lower-end model.
Do You Want To Sync Smartphone To The Hearing Aid?
With the help of advanced technology, hearing aids can do so much more now that amplifying sound. One such added benefit is the ability to sync with your smartphone. You can download apps on your smartphone, Android and iOS included, that will complement your hearing aid.
For example, these apps can help you track your activity level, personalize your listening experience depending on your location with the help of AI, and many more. And, you can do all of this easily through your smartphone.
So, if this is a benefit you are looking forward to, you would want to select a model that connects with a smartphone. Additionally, it’s important to note that the ability to customize your device from a smartphone varies from hearing aid to hearing aid.
Is It Difficult For To Hear Soft Sounds?
Loud sounds are fairly audible to even people suffering from hearing loss. However, the difficulty arises when it comes to soft noises, like the rustling of newspapers, birds chirping, or even soft voices of small children.
If you would like to be able to hear these sounds, you need to find a good hearing aid with an excellent capacity to be able to listen to soft, ambient sounds.
How Is Your Work Environment?
People spend more than half of their day at work. Hence, the environment that you work in plays a major role in which type of hearing aid you should choose.
For example, there’s a huge difference between hearing at a construction site versus in an office. Hence, you need to consider if your work environment requires you to reduce unwanted background noise substantially or capture soft sounds, or has good control of acoustics at big venues.
Why Choose Oticon Hearing Aids?
Now that you what features you’re looking for in your hearing aid; you need to choose a leading hearing aid manufacturer who can fulfil all your requirements. And, who better than Oticon.
A world leader in hearing since 1904, we at Oticon are the industry’s most advanced centre for hearing instrument technology.
Here is a list of Oticon’s best hearing devices that can maximize the hearing potential for moderate to severe hearing loss.
Best Hearing Aids For Moderate to Severe Hearing Loss In 2020
1) Oticon Opn S
Hearing loss slowly separates you from the people and activities you love.
The reason is simple: fewer sounds reach your brain, and you have to work harder to follow the conversation. But now thanks to a technological breakthrough, you may be closer to a more natural way of hearing than ever before.
The new Oticon Opn S™ unleashes the full potential of the part of your brain that receives and processes audio information. With Oticon BrainHearing™ technology in Opn S, you can experience hearing in a more natural way than ever before. So you can focus on what matters most to you.
Given below are the benefits of using Oticon Opn S:
1) 360° sound experience
Oticon Opn S comes with improved technology that gives your brain access to the relevant sounds around you.
2) Speech understanding on par with normal hearing
Studies prove that Oticon Opn S users can experience speech understanding at the same level as people with normal hearing in noisy environments.
3) New rechargeable hearing aid
A stylish, rechargeable solution you recharge at night for a full day of hearing.
4) No more whistling sounds
A groundbreaking feature makes Oticon Opn S able to detect and prevent annoying whistling sounds before they even occur.
5) Easy wireless connectivity
Oticon Opn S offers simple, wireless connectivity to your favorite devices like smartphone, T.V
BrainHearing benefits*
• Reduces your listening effort
• A choice of models and features
• Helps you remember more of what is being said
• Gives you better speech understanding
• Improves your ability to follow conversations with multiple speakers.
You don’t hear with your ears, you hear with your brain. That’s why you need hearing aids that are fast enough to keep up with the brain. BrainHearing™ technology in Oticon Opn S scans the environment 100 times per second. This gives you constant access to 360° sounds to support the way your brain naturally makes sense of sound.
2) Oticon Ruby
The new Oticon Ruby offers the best sound quality in Oticon’s essential category. Features like the new SuperShield feedback management system prevents whistling before it occurs, and the contact-free inductive charging system allows for a full day’s charge in just a few hours. Last but not least, Oticon Ruby also provides outstanding wireless connectivity to a wide range of smartphones, TVs and computers. In fact, Oticon Ruby can be paired with multiple TV adapters so your clients can easily switch TVs as they move around their homes.
Given below are the benefits of using Oticon Opn S:
1) SuperShield feedback management system
Prevents whistling before it occurs so you can enjoy special moments without interruptions and without drawing unnecessary attention to your hearing aids.
2) Future-proof 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® low energy connectivity
Oticon Ruby uses 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® low energy technology so you can watch videos, stream music, take phone calls and much more – all from your hearing aid. You can pair Oticon Ruby with multiple TV adapters and use the Oticon ON App to stream from any TV when moving around your home for a virtually seamless experience.
3) New reliable inductive charging
Super-fast three-hour charging time for a full day of power, including streaming. A quick recharge delivers six hours of power in just 30 minutes.
4) IP68 certified water and dust resistance
Oticon Ruby is designed to be robust and reliable, with all of the vital components nano-coated for optimal protection.
5) Compatible with Oticon RemoteCare
An app that allows your hearing care provider to remotely adjust and fine-tune hearing aids in a virtual appointment, from the comfort of your home.
3) Oticon Siya
Oticon Siya hearing aids help you hear better by amplifying the rich details of sounds, so you can focus on every precious moment.
Oticon Siya has a powerful chip inside that processes sound 50 times faster than our previous generation of hearing aids. This enables it to deliver excellent sound quality that helps improve your speech understanding.
Oticon Siya highlights:
1) Superb sound quality
Oticon Siya help you focus in on the sounds in front of you, by shutting out other sounds when a situation becomes very noisy. It adapts extremely quickly, making it easier for you to follow conversations in noisy environments, like a family dinner.
2) Easy wireless connectivity to devices
Oticon Siya uses 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® low energy technology, which gives you cutting-edge wireless connectivity: higher quality streaming
of sound, stereo music, and low battery consumption. With Oticon Siya, you can easily connect to a wide range of devices like smartphones, TV, music system.
3) Effective noise reduction
Speech is much easier to understand without noise. That’s why Oticon Siya has a noise management system that reduces noise extremely fast.
4) A choice of models and styles
• 5 colors to match your hair or skin
• Invisible models
• Rechargeable battery option
• Tinnitus relief sounds
• …and much more
Book an appointment with your local hearing care professional today!