Category — Hearing Aids

HearPods are not your usual over the internet hearing aid company. They offer hearing aids that are both custom programmable and economical.  Hearing loss is a serious issue that affects millions of people around the world.  By visiting your doctor for a professional audiogram, hearing aids can be selected to fit any specific type of hearing loss.  Even those with minor hearing loss can be assisted by early use of hearing aids.  Read more... (365 words, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)

HearPods offer an excellent selection of hearing aids, depending on your level of hearing loss and your personal preference.  HearPods are available in three different styles, ranging from the non-prescription fully digital HearPal, to the custom programmed Micro, Mini and InvisiPod.  HearPods provides a full range of styles of hearing aids, from over the ear to completely in the ear canal style.

Basic hearing aids are available non-programmed and without a prescription.  This basic model is called the HearPal and is designed to be just the right amount of hearing assistance for those not yet needing prescriptive hearing aids.  The HearPal still fits inside the ear canal, so as not to be obviously seen by others, and is a digital hearing amplification device.    Read more... (322 words, estimated 1:17 mins reading time)

Hearing aids have evolved from trumpet shaped funnels to micro sized digital devices.

Hearing aids began as trumpet shaped horns made of almost any available material, from sea shells to wood.  The small part of the trumpet was held up to the ear to direct sound through the funnel, amplifying the sound into the ear canal.  Until the late 19th and early 20th century, all hearing aids were without any powered assistance.

The earliest recorded notation regarding man made hearing aids was made around 1588 by Italian author Giovanni Porta, who described wooden aids carved to resemble animal’s ears.  Early hearing aids were usually produced for a person’s specific style and taste, as opposed to the type of hearing loss they were experiencing.  Read more... (372 words, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)

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)