Your automatic hearing aids are being fitted and you’re enjoying their features. But then you see manual volume control on them and you ask yourself, “Why do these things have manual volume control when these are already automatic?” Here are things that you will want to know about it.
Automatic Function Complements Manual Control
Many hearing aids, especially the mid-range and high-end ones, have automatic volume controls as part of their standard suite of features. These controls adjust the surrounding sounds, such as from voices, music and ambient sounds, to audible levels. These are designed to ensure maximum comfort for the users, particularly by taking into account your hearing loss and amplifying sounds as needed.
Indeed, automatic volume controls are included because of their high efficacy in getting just the right level of sound. But there are also instances when automatic volume controls cannot account for personal preferences and the wide range of situations in everyday life.
This is where manual volume controls come in. You can manually adjust the volume of your hearing aids depending on your personal preference for specific situations.
You may want, for example, to decrease the volume when you’re at a party so you don’t hear too much of the loud music. You may also want to increase the volume when you’re having a leisurely dinner in a restaurant with your family.
While automatic volume control has its uses, manual volume control puts the control back in your hands. This is among the reasons why you’re using a hearing aid in the first place – to gain back a certain degree of control over something you didn’t have control before.
Self-learning Feature Is Also Great
Aside from automatic volume controls, many high-end hearing aids also have a self-learning feature. This means the hearing aids learn, so to speak, your volume preferences and then incorporate them into future situations. The hearing aids do it by tracking the volume adjustments made in specific situations and then making these adjustments on their own.
Depending on the hearing aids, the volume adjustments can be made either through the manual voice controls or a remote control. Take note that automatic volume controls and remote control capability will likely increase the cost of hearing aids. You have to determine whether these features will increase the hearing aids’ functionality in your case.
There’s also the matter of manual volume controls being not for everybody. You may or may not want them but before deciding on it, you should discuss their pros and cons with your doctor and audiologist.
For example, you may not like manual volume controls because it will mean extra work on your part. You want your hearing aids to do all the work. You may not also like them because they mean larger hearing aids.
No matter your choice, the more important thing in hearing aids and their volume is their appropriate level for you. The volume should neither be too loud nor too low, just the Goldilocks volume.
Source:
HK Hearing & Speech Centre
Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,
and Hearing Aid Prescription
http://www.hkhearingspeech.com