Top Power Hearing Aids for Severe Hearing Loss | Orka Aid Review

Exploring Power Hearing Aids for Severe Hearing Loss

Hearing loss can range from mild to profound, with severe cases defined as a hearing loss of 71dB or greater. For those with severe hearing loss, power hearing aids provide amplification powerful enough to make sounds audible again. With so many options on the market, choosing the right power hearing aid can be overwhelming.

In this comprehensive guide, we sort through the world of power hearing aids to explore the costs, styles, and features of the top options for treating severe hearing loss.

Understanding Power Hearing Aids

Power hearing aids provide more amplification than standard hearing aids, making them well-suited for severe hearing loss cases. This increased amplification allows wearers to hear sounds like voices, car horns, and alarm clocks that would otherwise be too quiet for them to pick up.

Most power hearing aids have a peak amplification of 85 to 90 decibels to make faint noises louder. They also use advanced noise reduction technology to amplify speech sounds over background noise.

Types of Power Hearing Aids

When shopping for power hearing aids, youll encounter various styles and models. The four main types include:

• Behind-the-ear (BTE) Worn behind the ear and connected to a custom earmold via tubing.
• Receiver-in-canal (RIC) Similar to BTE aids but with the receiver placed inside the ear canal rather than behind the ear.
• In-the-ear (ITE) Custom-molded to fit completely inside the outer ear.
• In-the-canal (ITC) Fit partly in the ear canal for a more discreet option.

BTE and RIC styles are the most popular styles for power hearing aids thanks to their versatility, comfort, and ease of use. Within these two main categories, there is an abundance of power hearing aid models available from various manufacturers.

Factors to Consider When Selecting Power Hearing Aids

With the sheer volume of power hearing aids on the market, narrowing down your options can be tricky. Here are some key factors to keep in mind while evaluating different models:

• Amplification power Look for a peak amplification suitable for severe hearing levels (85dB or higher).
• Feedback reduction Advanced feedback cancellation allows more amplification without bothersome whistling.
• Directional microphones Focuses amplification on sounds in front of you for better speech understanding.
• Wireless connectivity Features like Bluetooth let you stream media directly from your smartphone and other smart devices.
• Smart listening features Allow hearing aids to automatically adapt to different sound environments.
• Battery life Rechargeable battery options eliminate the need to frequently replace batteries.
• App integration Mobile apps give you more ways to control and customize hearing aid settings.
• Ease of use Look for easy-to-use buttons and adjustment dials for changing settings.
• Customization Can special features be activated or deactivated to suit your preferences?
• Style and comfort Choose from color options and pick a style suitable for your ear size and shape.
• Budget Prices range widely from brand to brand.

Orka Power Hearing Aids: Key Features

Orka power hearing aids stand out as a top contender in terms of advanced technology, customization options, and overall performance. They are designed to meet the demands of those with severe and profound hearing loss.

Two of Orkas newest and most powerful models include the Orka 5 and the slightly more advanced Orka 7. Their amplifying power, features, and streamlined style make them well worth consideration.

Peak Amplification

At the core of any power hearing aid is its ability to significantly amplify sounds. Both the Orka 5 and Orka 7 provide industry-leading peak amplification of 90 decibels.

With this extremely high level of amplification, you get the volume you need to hear high and low-pitch sounds across a wide frequency range from hushed voices to loud intersections.

Feedback Reduction and Speech Enhancement

Essential to a positive hearing aid experience is the ability to converse comfortably with minimal background noise and whistling interference.

The Orka models utilize advanced feedback cancellation that allows high amplification levels without bothersome feedback. Speech enhancement features also work in noisy environments so you can better understand conversations.

Wireless Connectivity and Companion Apps

Like most modern power hearing aids, the Orka models include a range of wireless connectivity and app control features:

• Bluetooth connectivity lets you stream phone calls, music, podcasts, TV and more directly from iPhone and Android smartphones or Bluetooth-enabled devices.
• The easy-to-use Orka control app for iOS and Android devices puts key settings at your fingertips to adjust amplification, create customized listening profiles and stream audio.
• If using two hearing aids, the app also has a find my hearing aid feature that helps you locate misplaced devices.

Rechargeable Battery Options

Both Orka models allow you to pick between disposable zinc-air batteries or integrated rechargeable batteries:

• Zinc-air batteries provide reliable, cost-effective power. Disposable 312 batteries last 5-8 days on average.
• Built-in lithium-ion rechargeable batteries offer up to 25 hours of use per charge. Just set the hearing aids on the charging case overnight.

Directional Microphones

Understanding speech amid background noise presents a key struggle for those with hearing loss. Directional microphones play an important role in isolating the dominant speakers voice.

Both Orka models utilize directional microphones to pick up speech coming from in front rather than the sides or back. This allows you to better comprehend conversations in noisy places like restaurants, meetings and riding in the car.

Customization for Comfortable Listening

Hearing is very personal, and everyones preferences are different. Extensive customization helps optimize comfort and speech intelligibility.

Convenient through the app, key settings you can personalize on Orka models include:

• Multiple listening profiles for common scenarios like outdoors, meetings, restaurants, music, and phone calls.
• Adjustable amplification frequency ranges.
• Volume and gain controls for fine tuning.
• Activation and deactivation of special features like feedback cancellation and speech focus.

Such adjustments allow you to adapt the hearing aids to different environments for the best experience.

Orka Hearing Aid Styles and Pricing

As a retailer that sells all major hearing aid brands, we carry the full line of Orka power hearing aids. Popular styles and pricing options include:

Behind-the-Ear (BTE)

Orkas BTE power hearing aids hook over the top of your ear and direct sound through custom-fit eartips connected via tubing. The main components sit comfortably behind the ears.

BTE styles are the most popular choice thanks to their versatility, directional microphones and easy access to features like volume control dials. Available BTE models include:

• Orka 5 BTE 300 $2,399 per aid with disposable batteries.
• Orka 5 BTE 500 $2,799 per aid with rechargeable batteries.
• Orka 7 BTE 300 $2,999 per aid with disposable batteries.
• Orka 7 BTE 500 $3,499 per aid with rechargeable batteries.

Receiver-in-Canal (RIC)

RIC power hearing aids have similar components as BTE styles with two key differences:

1. The miniature receiver piece sits inside your ear canal rather than behind the ear.
2. Adjustments are made through the mobile app rather than an onboard volume dial.

Available Orka RIC models include:

• Orka 5 RIC 300 $2,399 per aid with disposable batteries.
• Orka 5 RIC 500 $2,799 per aid with rechargeable batteries.
• Orka 7 RIC 300 $2,999 per aid with disposable batteries.
• Orka 7 RIC 500 $3,499 per aid with rechargeable batteries.

Hearing Aid Costs and Financing

Theres no way around it power hearing aids represent a significant investment. With premium aids like the Orka models, prices ranging from $2,400-$3,500 per device are common. For a pair of the latest hearing aids, the total can run upwards of $7,000 or more.

Insurance Coverage for Hearing Aids

Unfortunately, routine hearing exams and hearing aids are rarely covered by health insurance or Medicare. While plans vary, typical insurance discounts range from 20-60% off MSRP prices.

Some good news moving forward a new federal law going into effect January 2023 will require Medicare to start covering hearing care services. This includes exams and allowing certain plans to offer hearing aid coverage.

Financing Power Hearing Aids

Third party financing can make power hearing aids more affordable by spreading out payments over multiple years. Whether you choose a loan or a hearing aid credit card, this breaks the full cost into more manageable monthly payments.

Potential financing options we offer include:

• Loans Approved loans allow you to finance $3,500 up to 60 months at competitive fixed rates.
• Medical credit cards Specialty cards tailored for healthcare expenses tend to offer promotional financing for 6-24 months if balances are paid off.

During your appointment, we can provide details on all financing options to find the right plan for your budget and needs.

Schedule a Hearing Exam

If you struggle with severe, untreated hearing loss, power hearing aids offer life-changing amplification tailored for your needs. Models like the Orka 5 and Orka 7 represent excellent solutions thanks to their clear audio quality, speech focus in noise, wireless streaming and rechargeable battery options.

To explore whether advanced power hearing aids could help you better connect with friends and loved ones, schedule a full hearing evaluation at our office. Our licensed hearing instrument specialists will assess your loss, lifestyle needs, and guide you to the right devices to suit your budget.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.