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Hearing Aid Facts

Age-related hearing loss is common. According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately one-third of Americans in the 65 to 75 age bracket and about half of those over 75 have hearing loss. In addition to age, constant exposure to loud noises and heredity are factors of this condition. Blocked ear canals, sinus problems, allergies, viruses and infections also contribute to hearing loss. The best way to find out what has causes loss of hearing is to visit a doctor or hearing specialist.

  1. Fitting the Hearing Aid

    • Once the doctor or hearing aid specialist assesses the patient, plan of treatment is initiated. Each patient must be evaluated for proper type and fit of the hearing aid. Then the selection process begins. The patient must become oriented to the use of the device. Most people use two hearing aids because it enables them to hear better over background noise, tell where the sound originates and hear softer sounds. For people with hearing loss in both ears, two hearing aids are essential to receiving the highest quality of sound without distraction.

    Design

    • There are many different designs of hearing aids. However, they all have a microphone, a receiver and batteries for power. Most have an amplifier to adjust sound. Invisible hearing aids are available, but they're not always the best for each patient's problems.

    Invisible Hearing Aids

    • Some of the advantages of hearing aids that are completely in the ear canal and invisible to most people are: they aren't easily noticed; they do a good job of delivering higher frequencies; telephone headsets can often be used over them; the speaker is closer to the eardrum. The disadvantages include: the expense; some are too small for volume control; they're not good for high frequency hearing loss; they have a higher repair rate; they're more likely to fall out of the ear canal and get lost. A hearing specialist should help determine which style is best.

    Other Types of Hearing Aids

    • Other types include full-shell, behind-the-ear and in-the-eyeglasses hearing aids. Full-shell hearing aids stay in the ear better and have room for more options They are easier to adjust and must less expensive than the invisible hearing aids. Behind-the-ear hearing aids provide more flexibility, and they work for all levels of hearing loss, including severe. They are often less expensive than the other types of hearing aids. Eyeglass hearing aids are more difficult to find because they require specialized technical knowledge for repair.

    Professional Treatment

    • Mail order hearing devices are available. However, they don't take into account each person's specific hearing needs. Audiologists are trained professionals who evaluate and provide instruction for how to use the hearing aid. They also provide ongoing support and repair. A hearing aid that has been professionally prescribed will not damage or lesson the ability to hear.

    Quality of Life

    • Although hearing aids cannot cure hearing problems or deafness, they add quality of life by enabling wearers to hear sounds they were unable to hear before. They only work when worn.

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