Hearing Aids and Phone Calls: Practical Ways to Hear Better

Why phone calls are hard

On the phone you cannot see the other person's face, the sound is compressed, and the line may be poor. For many people with hearing loss, phone calls are among the first situations to become difficult.

There is no single answer, but there are several practical options. Which ones you can use depends on two things: your hearing aids (make, model, generation and settings) and your phone (model and software). For the details of Bluetooth and phone compatibility, see Bluetooth hearing aids and phone compatibility.

Option 1: Stream calls directly to your hearing aids

Many modern hearing aids can connect to a phone wirelessly, so the caller's voice goes straight into both hearing aids.

• Philips says its HearLink hearing aids let you stream phone calls, music and audio directly into your ears. Philips also explains that whether its hearing aids can make calls without holding the phone depends on the device you are using as well as your type of hearing aids.
• On iPhone and iPad, Philips says its most recent hearing aids can make and receive these calls directly when paired, and that the feature must be enabled on the iOS device.
• Answering a call: Philips describes briefly pressing the button on one of the hearing aids, or accepting the call on the phone in the normal way.
• Android: Oticon explains that to stream directly from an Android device without an accessory, the device must support Bluetooth LE Audio or Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids (ASHA). If it supports neither, Oticon says you will need an accessory such as ConnectClip or the Easy LE Adapter.
• Philips accessory: Philips describes its AudioClip accessory as temporarily turning the hearing aids into a wireless stereo headset, for devices and hearing aids that need it.
• Computers: Philips notes that on a computer, call handling with the button on the hearing aids is not supported; you accept the call on the computer.

Bring your phone, or at least its exact model and software version, when you ask about streaming. A feature should not be assumed until it is confirmed for your exact hearing aids and phone.

Option 2: Hold the phone in the right place

If you are not streaming, where you hold the phone matters. A guide from the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust explains that with a behind-the-ear hearing aid and an earmould or closed dome, you should position the handset towards the top of your ear, where the hearing-aid microphones are located, rather than over the ear canal.

The same guide says that with a thin-tube hearing aid and an open dome with holes, you can usually hold the handset as normal. It also suggests practising with a recorded message to find the best position.

Option 3: Speakerphone

Speakerphone lets you listen through both hearing aids at once. The Royal Berkshire guide notes that you can listen to the speaker while wearing both hearing aids. A quiet room helps, and putting the phone on a table in front of you means you can use your hands to take notes.

Option 4: Telecoil (T-coil)

Some hearing aids include a telecoil. The US National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) describes it as a small magnetic coil that lets users receive sound through the hearing aid's circuitry, and says this makes it easier to hear conversations over the telephone.

The Royal Berkshire guide explains that with a phone that supports this, you switch the hearing aid to its telecoil programme and hold the handset as normal. Not every hearing aid has a telecoil, and it may need to be activated, so ask.

Option 5: Captions

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) explains that captioning transcribes speech into writing on a screen in real time. NIDCD describes captioned telephones that let you carry on a spoken conversation while reading a transcript of the other person's words. Availability of captioning services and apps varies, so check what works on your phone and in your language.

Tips that help on any call

• Tell the caller. The Royal Berkshire guide suggests telling the caller that you have a hearing impairment and asking them to speak slowly and clearly.
• Quiet room. Turn off the TV and close the window before you answer if you can.
• Confirm details. Repeat times, addresses and numbers back, or ask for them by text message.
• Video calls let you see the other person's face, which many people find easier.
• For tips your family can use, share communicating with someone who wears hearing aids.

When to ask for help

If calls are still hard after trying these options, mention it at a follow-up appointment. Settings, programmes or an accessory may help. See follow-up and adjustments and accessories and connectivity.

When you contact G-Sound, have ready the make and model of your hearing aids, your phone model and software version, and what exactly goes wrong: no connection, poor sound, calls not coming through to the hearing aids, or difficulty understanding. G-Sound offers Philips and Oticon hearing aids.