Category — Hearing Aids

The full range of normal hearing is experienced through both ears, not one or the other.  Many people diagnosed with hearing loss are initially unable to decide whether they want to wear one hearing aid or two.  It is widely held by hearing professionals that a person with hearing loss should try wearing two hearing aids before making a final decision on whether to wear one or two permanently.  There are several reasons to choose to wear two hearing aids, called binaural hearing aids, as opposed to a single hearing aid.  Read more... (389 words, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)

There are generally four different styles of hearing aids available for those suffering from hearing loss.  Each style is slightly different in functionality and size and should be selected for personal taste and based on the prescription provided by a hearing professional.  The different styles of hearing aids are available in digital models that can be custom programmed to a specific hearing test analysis.

One style of digital hearing aid available tucks in behind your ear.  Many manufacturers have miniaturized the size and can be invisible to anyone near the wearer.  This type is a behind the ear style and does, as the name implies, sit just behind the ear.  The portion behind the ear is a unit containing the electronics and battery and is connected to a small arm or tubing that hooks over the top of the ear.  Connected to the arm is the portion of the hearing aid which rests inside the ear canal and transmits sound into the ear canal.    Read more... (439 words, estimated 1:45 mins reading time)

The ability to fine tune digital hearing aids makes them more effective than analog aids.

There are currently two types of hearing aids available for those with hearing loss, digital and analog.  While there are similarities between the two types of devices, there are also vast differences which make digital hearing aids much more effective than analog.  In the past, the initial cost of digital hearing aids had placed them out of reach for many budgets.  Today’s digital hearing aids are generally available through over-the-counter manufacturers who offer more affordable pricing.  Read more... (359 words, estimated 1:26 mins reading time)

Hearing aids are made of four basic components that assist the wearer in hearing clearly.  As an improvement over traditional bulky hearing aids, today’s smaller programmable hearing aids can have additional components that allow more functionality and versatility.  The main components of a hearing aid are the microphone, an amplifier, a receiver and batteries.

There can be anywhere from one to several microphones attached to a hearing aid.  These microphones serve to gather sound from an outside source and transmit it to the amplifier.  The microphone placement and function is very important as it is the hearing aid’s first chance to gather sound from the outside.  A malfunctioning microphone is the same as wearing no hearing aid at all.  Read more... (356 words, estimated 1:25 mins reading time)

With most types of hearing loss, there is a lack of ability to distinguish sounds when there is background noise present.  Many patients experiencing the beginning stages of hearing loss will avoid crowds and loud social situations because of their inability to hear.  Often, the avoidance of social situations is due to embarrassment or a fear of making an unacceptable response to a question.  Without the fine tuned ability to distinguish many different sounds, such as in a crowded stadium or party, questions are not easily understood.    Read more... (370 words, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)

According to Better Hearing Institute only about 20% of the 36 million people who need hearing aids wear them.  There is a large number of people who could greatly benefit from the simple purchase of a hearing aid.  The reasons generally cited for not purchasing hearing aids are expense, vanity and age.

There are many people who experience hearing loss but will not purchase a hearing aid because they believe it will cause them to look old or disabled.  It is often a misconceived notion that only the elderly lose their hearing and use hearing aids.  This is not the case, as any prolonged exposure to loud noise can cause someone to lose their hearing.  Often this hearing loss from sound exposure happens very early in adulthood.  Hearing loss can also be medically caused, due to viral infection or nerve damage, and can happen at any age.    Read more... (389 words, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)

One major concern with aging adults experiencing hearing loss is the appearance of traditional hearing aids. Traditional hearing aids are generally flesh colored and sit behind the ear, with an attachment that fits completely into the ear canal. These large, often uncomfortable, hearing aids used to be the only option for people experiencing hearing loss.

Today’s technology allows people experiencing hearing loss a wide range of smaller, less visible hearing aids. There are many current studies that cite appearance of hearing aids as a major reason to not use them, regardless of their effectiveness or benefits. In a majority of hearing loss patients, even the smallest available hearing aids can provide relief from the symptoms of hearing loss.  Read more... (365 words, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)

When learning that their child suffers from hearing loss, parents understandably have questions and concerns about treatment options.  Fortunately, many children with hearing impairments can benefit from the use of hearing aids.  After an audiologist conducts an evaluation, parents will receive information about certain therapies for children and hearing loss devices that can greatly improve their child’s quality of life.

Factors such as birth defects, ear infections, or injuries can cause hearing loss in children.  While some children are born with a hearing impairment, others do not begin to show signs of hearing loss until they are several years of age.  Parents typically become concerned about hearing problems when their child fails to acquire speech and does not respond to questions or comments.  Through a series of tests, audiologists can determine whether a child has sensorineural (inner ear) hearing loss, the degree to which the child is affected, and the type of hearing aid that is most effective for specific cases of children and hearing loss.  Read more... (442 words, estimated 1:46 mins reading time)

Depression is a chronic, serious mental illness that can lead to other, more dangerous conditions.  Depression can suppress the immune system and even lead to paranoia and borderline schizophrenia in some people.  Most people would be surprised to learn how closely undiagnosed hearing loss and depression have been linked in older adults.  There have been several studies that validate the link between hearing loss and depression.  One such study by the National Council on Aging found, of the 2,300 adults over age 50 in the study, those with undiagnosed hearing loss were more likely to suffer from depression and its attendant feelings of sadness, anxiety and paranoia.  Read more... (375 words, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)

The traditional images hearing aids conjure are of flesh colored blocks that are stuck behind your ears with an ear plug stuck in your ear.  Another image that may spring to mind is the elderly man or woman wandering around with their walker saying, “What was that, sonny?”  It is just this sort of image that may literally scare people away from investigating the assistance and relief that can be found with hearing aids.    Read more... (419 words, estimated 1:41 mins reading time)