Your HOW TO Guide
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Sunday, May 5, 2013 — The Newnan Times-Herald — 3D
Valuable Advice For Making Informed Decisions
Tips for Buying a Hearing Aid M
ore than 40 million Americans suffer some degree of hearing loss, frequently affecting day-to-day life for them and the people around them. To reduce the potentially serious consequences of hearing loss, such as safety issues and isolation, many people seek out hearing aids to help them live richer, fuller lives. When considering a hearing aid, the first thing to do is have a diagnostic hearing test by a Doctor of Audiology. Do not fall for gimmicks of “free hearing tests” as the point of these tests are ONLY to sell you hearing aids. A DIAGNOSTIC hearing test is needed to ensure you don’t have a hearing loss that is medically treatable or any other medical condition that needs attention. You don’t have to be an Audiologist to sell hearing aids, so be sure to confirm you are seeing a Doctor of Audiology. Hearing aids are highly technical medical devices, customized to meet the patient’s specific needs. Every person’s ear canal and type of hearing loss is different, ranging from mild to severe, and often affecting some frequency ranges more than others. Today’s hearing aids use digital processors to isolate and amplify the frequencies the patient needs most, and many of them are so small they’re virtually invisible. There are also many brands of hearing aids available and not every brand works for every person. Hearing aids are like medications where sometimes you will have to try a few different brands to find the one that works best
for you. When purchasing a hearing aid, make sure you do so from a clinic that works with multiple brands of hearing aids. Also, be careful with “big box” clinics as they usually sell their own brand that can only be adjusted / repaired at their store. This can be a problem if you move or if the store goes out of business or closes. Here’s a look at how to choose hearing aids:
Styles Hearing aids come in a range of sizes and prices, and a specialist can help you pick the right ones to meet your needs. Many hearing aids are practically invisible these days.
Internal Electronics Each hearing aid also comes with advanced electronics that will amplify the correct frequencies and help your hearing be as close to natural as possible. The best ones can filter out background noise, enabling the wearer to hear conversations clearly even in crowded settings. Like most electronic devices, the way hearing aids are designed can make a big difference in their performance and their pricing. Two hearing aids that look similar may actually sound very different based on how the electronics work inside them. Nearly all of today’s hearing aids are digital, which results in better sound and more customization options for people who suffer from hearing loss. If you have outdated hearing aids, it may be smart to consider upgrading to the more modern devices because of how much better they sound and how much
YOUR HEARING LOSS DOESN’T ONLY AFFECT YOU.
Stop missing out – finding it hard to follow conversations when two or more people are talking can be one of the first signs of hearing loss.
more easily they can be hidden within your ear.
Options Just like the options list when you buy a new car, hearing aids can be fitted with special features that may be helpful for you. Some examples: BLUETOOTH CONNECTIONS: Some hearing aids are able to connect wirelessly to Bluetooth electronic devices, such as cellular phones, to let you hear phone conversations directly through your hearing aids. TELEPHONE ADAPTERS: These devices can sense when you’re talking on the
phone and adjust the sound to make it clearer while you talk. DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE: If you want to only hear that sound directly in front of you, such as when you’re having one-on-one conversations with a person, a directional microphone can improve your hearing. Some can be switched between directional mode for conversations and non-directional for more general hearing. Hearing aids come in a range of REMOTE CONTROL: Some hearing aids are avail- sizes, styles and prices. able with remote controls that let you adjust the device up or down, for example, or without actually touching it. turn the directional microYou might turn the volume phone on or off.
How do you know if you have hearing loss? See your doctor if you: • Have trouble hearing over
the telephone • Find it hard to follow conversations when two or more people are talking • Often ask people to repeat what they are saying • Need to turn up the TV volume so loud that others complain • Have a problem hearing because of background noise • Think that others seem to mumble
Your SPOUSE / FAMILY members may... (According to published research)
• Feel stressed due to tolerating loud sounds • Feel fatigued at having to repeat themselves frequently • Feel irritated or embarrassed at social gatherings • Feel guilty over feeling impatient about your hearing loss • Feel anger / frustration that you are not willing to get help • Feel like they are not important enough for you to do something about your hearing loss • Avoid social activities with the hearing impaired spouse / family member • Want to spend less time together with the hearing impaired spouse / family member • Admit to loss of spontaneity and intimacy with a spouse with hearing loss • Have less conversation between them and the hearing impaired spouse / family member • Not enjoy the activities they used to enjoy together as a couple / family
Coweta Hearing Clinic 20 Baker Road, Suite 3 • Newnan, GA (Near Thomas Crossroads and White Oak)
770-254-2224
Dr. Nikki DeGeorge