The Pros and Cons of Hearing Aid Domes

Hand with thumb up and down on blue background. Yes and no, pros and cons, like and dislike, negative and positive symbol.

You’ve been avoiding calling us to find out if you need hearing aids, but you’ve finally decided it’s time. Like many, you’ve been resisting this. But the inconvenience, the lost moments, the missing interactions, they all finally became 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 losing some of life’s treasured moments for two more weeks. But you could try a simple little device add on called a hearing aid dome instead.

What exactly is a hearing aid dome?

They sound sort of grand, right? Like some type of arena where hearing aids battle in ancient, mythical combat. Only one hearing aid can come forth victorious from the hearing aid dome.

It’s not quite that thrilling. They are pretty cool though. Hearing aid domes are like little earbuds that you can place at the end of your hearing aid speaker. Usually made of silicone or plastic, they attach to the tubing of your hearing aid and fit on the part that goes in your ear canal. You can use them on both behind-the-ear and in-ear models. And they basically do two things:

  • They position the hearing aid speaker (the bit that you listen to) in the most effective position within your ear canal. And they secure the speaker so it won’t jiggle around in your ear.
  • On occasion, outside sound can interfere with the sound of your hearing aid and hearing aid domes help stop that by controlling the amount of outside sound. When properly used, hearing aid domes offer you a bit of extra control and work to improve sound clarity.

Domes for hearing aids look sort of like those bulbs at the end of your earbuds. There are multiple hearing aid dome styles, so we will help you select the one that’s best for your situation.

What is the difference between hearing aid domes?

Open types and closed types each let in different amounts of ambient sound.

Hearing aid domes come in different types, including:

Open Domes

These have openings in the dome that allow more outside sound to pass through and into your ears. You get the advantage of amplification while still being able to process outside sounds.

Closed Domes

These domes let less outside sound in through fewer and smaller holes. These are better for more advanced hearing loss where ambient noise can be a distraction.

Power Domes

Power domes completely block the ear canal and have no venting. With these, almost no outside sound can get in. These domes will be best for people with very severe hearing impairment.

Do hearing aid domes need to be changed?

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).

For most people, hearing aid domes can be used right out of the box. In fact, that’s one of their primary benefits.

How will I benefit by wearing hearing aid buds?

Hearing aid domes are popular for a wide variety of reasons. The most common advantages include the following:

  • The external world sounds more clear and natural: You can be sure your hearing aids produce a clear, natural sound quality by picking the right type of hearing aid domes. That’s because some sound will still (probably) get in. We can help you identify the kind that’s ideal for you.
  • You’re able to hear your own voice: Some hearing aid domes are created to let a natural amount of sound get through. This means you can still hear your own voice as you naturally would. You’re more likely to wear your hearing aids more often if they sound clear and natural.
  • No fitting time: Not having to wait is one of the greatest benefits of hearing aid domes. You can pop them in and wear your hearing aid right away. This is an ideal solution for individuals 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. For people who want faster results, hearing aid domes can provide a way to achieve that without sacrificing the quality of your sound clarity.
  • Hearing aid domes can be more discrete: Hearing aid domes aren’t that big, particularly when they’re in your ear. In this way, they can be rather discrete.

And again, this will mean you’re less likely to leave your hearing aid sitting on your nightstand.

What are the drawbacks to hearing aid domes?

You’ll want to be mindful of some of the downsides and trade-offs that come with hearing aid domes. Among the most common are the following:

  • They’re not always comfortable: Having something plugging the ear canal can be extremely uncomfortable for some individuals. Hearing specialists call this sensation “occlusion,” and some individuals can find it extremely unpleasant. Additionally, if you take your hearing aid dome out too fast (or don’t clean it often enough), there’s the chance that it might separate from the tubing and get lodged in your ear canal. You’ll most likely 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 that common, occasionally does happen. This is especially true for people who are dealing with high-frequency hearing loss.
  • Some types of hearing loss aren’t suited for hearing aid domes: As an example, hearing aid domes won’t be the best choice if you have high frequency hearing loss or profound hearing loss. Again, the feedback can become an issue with high frequency hearing loss. It’s the hearing aid itself that’s an issue with profound hearing loss: the type of hearing aid commonly 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?

Inevitably, the decision of whether you should use hearing aid domes or not is mostly a personal one. It’s your choice but we can help. And we will look at your individual needs and help advise you on the pros and cons.

Some individuals may be better off waiting for a custom fitting. For other people, the immediate results of hearing aids you can wear today will build healthy, lifelong hearing habits.

The nice thing is that you’ve got options.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.

Questions?

    Beach Audiology

    Myrtle Beach, SC

    950 48th Ave N Suite 203Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

    Call or Text: 843-438-5062

    Fax:
    844-444-0901

    Monday through Thursday, 9am – 5pm
    Friday, by appointment only

    Myrtle Beach, SC Google Business Profile

    Find out how we can help!

    Call or Text Us