[ HEARING FILE ] Hearing aids : our answers to your questions.

The web is full of questions about hearing aids. If we have been trying to answer them for several years, it is with the aim of informing everyone about what can be expected from such devices. At the same time, it also aims to encourage people to try out the various hearing solutions, in order to choose the one that suits them best. Because there are a plethora of hearing solutions and just as many myths about each of them :

• Custom-made hearing aids and preset hearing aids ;
• Preset hearing aids sold in pharmacies and preset hearing aids that are not sold in pharmacies ;
• Hearing aids sold on Amazon and other marketplaces ;
• Invisible hearing aids known as in-the-ear (CIC) hearing aids ;
• (mini) Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids ;
• Rechargeable and non-rechargeable hearing aids.

We decided to list the questions collected, since 2016, by our teams and answer them in writing (rather than by phone), grouping them into different themes. We have also added the questions regularly asked by Internet users, on search engines. We hope that our answers will allow everyone to see more clearly and to “take the plunge” into the hearing aid process.

2 clarifications :

• Each article (for a total of 13 articles) deals with a different theme, which brings together a set of questions regularly asked (by our customers and/or Internet users). All the topics are listed below : by clicking on each one, you will go directly to the article in question (if it is published) ;
• The grammatical structure of the questions asked, which is sometimes surprising, is reproduced as the questions are asked to us or as they appear on search engines.

Theme I : What is the point of wearing a hearing aid ?

Why wear a hearing aid ?

• Why wear a hearing aid in the case of hearing impairment / deafness ?
• Why wear a hearing aid in the case of presbycusis ?
• In conclusion, why wear a hearing aid ?

What are the benefits of wearing a hearing aid ?

• Wearing a hearing aid has a positive impact on your professional life
• Wearing a hearing aid has a positive impact on your personal life
• Wearing a hearing aid has a positive impact on your health

When should I wear a hearing aid ?

• It is recommended to wear a hearing aid at the first sign of hearing discomfort
• It is advisable to wear a hearing aid as soon as the situation requires it

Theme II : Hearing aids and age

At what age should I start wearing a hearing aid ?

• What is the right age to wear a hearing aid for a hearing impairment / deafness ?
• What is the right age to wear a hearing aid for presbycusis ?

What is the average age of the first hearing aid ?

Does getting a hearing aid at an early age make the hearing loss worse ?

Until what age should I wear a hearing aid ?

• How old do you have to be to get a hearing aid ?
• MDPH support for children with hearing loss (France)
• MDPH support for deafness for adults (France)

Theme III : Hearing aid and acceptance

What is the rate of hearing aid use ?

• Hearing handicap / deafness : how many people wear a hearing aid ?
• Presbycusis : how many people wear a hearing aid ?

Why are there such different rates of hearing aid use between countries ?

• A long and regulated care pathway to access coverage.
• High prices, high out-of-pocket expenses.
• A preferential orientation towards BTE hearing aids.

How do you accept to wear a hearing aid ?

Theme IV : Acquisition and reimbursement of a hearing aid

How to acquire a hearing aid ?

• The acquisition of a hearing aid for people with a hearing disability
• The acquisition of a hearing aid for presbycusis
• Do I need a prescription for a hearing aid ?

In France, what is the reimbursement of a hearing aid in 2023 ?

• Reimbursement of hearing aids for the disabled (MDPH Deafness file)
• Coverage of hearing aids for presbycusis
  • Coverage of traditional “custom” hearing aids
  • Coverage of pre-configured hearing aid
    • The care pathway
    • Follow-up services
    • Registration on the LPPR list

Theme V : How to choose a hearing aid ?

How does the hearing system work ?

How does a hearing aid work ?

• The microphone
• The amplifier
• The earphone
• Other electronic components
• A word about the outer shell

How to choose a hearing aid ?

• The choice of a hearing aid via a “classic” care pathway
• The choice of a preconfigured hearing aid
  • The type of hearing aid : in-the-ear or behind the ear ?
    • A few words about the BTE hearing aid
    • A few words about the ITE hearing aid
  • The amplification of the hearing aid
    • A few words about the BTE hearing aid
    • A few words about the ITE hearing aid
  • The number of frequency channels
    • Frequency channels do not means setting channels
    • Frequency channels and sound quality
    • So, what to choose ?

Does price guarantee the quality of a hearing aid ?

• Composition of the price of a custom-made (prescription) hearing aid
• Composition of the price of a preconfigured hearing aid (over the counter)

 In conclusion : what is the best hearing aid ?

THEME VI : Preset hearing aids vs. custom-made hearing aids : differences and similarities

A better understanding of the global boom in preset hearing aids

• Custom hearing aids : a monopolistic market
• Traditional hearing aids : vertical integration of distribution
  • The Amplifon Group
  • The Sonova Group
  • The William Demant Group
• The French market and its legal evolution
  • The aging of the population, more rapid than in the past
  • Major legal developments in recent years (France)
    • The Macron law of 2015
    • The RAC0 reform of 2018
• The rise of the preset hearing aid offer

Custom-made and preset hearing aids : the common points

• The name (the nature of the hearing aid)
• On-board electronic components (intrinsic quality of the hearing aid)
• Part of the pre-setting
  • Case of custom-made hearing aids
  • Preset hearing aids

Custom-made and pre-configured hearing aids : the differences

• The people for whom these hearing aids are intended
  • Hearing aids on medical prescription
    • Hearing aids for the disabled
    • Hearing aids for presbycusis
  • Over-the-counter hearing aids
• The sale of the hearing aid and the distribution network
  • Hearing aids on medical prescription
  • Hearing aids sold over the counter
• The after-sales service
  • Traditional hearing aids, with a medical prescription
  • Over-the-counter hearing aids

THEME VII : How to use a hearing aid ?

How to use a hearing aid ?

• The gradual adaptation to a hearing aid
• Difficult contexts for wearing a hearing aid

How long should I wear a hearing aid ?

• Do I have to wear my hearing aid if I live alone ?
• Your hearing loss is mild (primo-presbycusis)
• You can’t stand your hearing aid

Can I wear only one hearing aid ?

• Your hearing loss is greater than 30dB in one ear
• Your hearing aid is an in-the-ear device (CIC hearing aid)

Can I wear a hearing aid with glasses ? How do you wear glasses with a hearing aid ?

• The behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid and the pair of glasses
• The in-the-ear (ITE / CIC) hearing aid and the pair of glasses

Can we keep hearing aids on at night ? Can you sleep with a hearing aid ?

Wearing a mask with a hearing aid ? How do you wear a mask with hearing aids ?

• The Behind-The-Ear (BTE) hearing aid and the sanitary mask
• The In-The-Ear (ITE / CIC) hearing aid and the sanitary mask

Can I wear a hearing aid while having a scan ?

How do I put a hearing aid in my ear ?

• Putting a Behind-The-Ear (BTE) hearing aid in your ear
• Putting a In-The-Ear (ITE / CIC) hearing aid in the ear

What are hearing aid earmolds used for ?

Why does my hearing aid whistle ?

• Larsen effect and in-the-ear (ITE / CIC) hearing aids
• Larsen effect and behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids

How do you fit a hearing aid in the ear ?