subject: The Age Of Technology Makes A Better Hearing Aid [print this page] If a person's vision starts to get blurry, glasses are purchased. If a person gets a tooth ache, the dentist is called. Anytime a person breaks a bone, medical attention is sought to set and cast it.
When we don't hear as well as we use to, we crank up the TV so loud all the neighbors know what we're watching from their own homes, and we don't think there's anything wrong with that. Why are hearing aids so scary to us? The National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders state that 28 million people have some level of hearing loss that affect their daily life.
Each hearing loss is unique, but there is a vast array of amazing technology available to meet the needs of every hearing impaired individual. These new hearing aids are not the clunky, transistor radio size with wires dangling that your grandparents wore; the digital technology that has made computers available to everyone has now been applied to the improvement of hearing aids.
Audiologist are now able to adjust the a hearing aid, because the new digital ones use state of the art microphones, receivers, batteries and a computer chips. Newer hearing aids have become smaller and much more discreet, and are programmed to precisely compensate for each individual's loss of hearing issues.
Every hearing impairment is different. Some individuals will suffer the loss of ability to hear high-end frequencies while others become unable to detect low-end ones. Sounds such as vowels are on the low-end level and consonants on the high-end, because of this people with hearing loss often are unable to hear certain words and are left having to guess at what was said.
Still other people have a problem with volume. Their hearing is dulled, so sounds come in at a softer level meaning these individuals are likely to blast their televisions and radios and will likely ask others to repeat what they have said.
An audiologist can perform a hearing test to determine what adjustments need to be made to a hearing aid. Annual audiograms are recommended to ensure that even the slightest degree of hearing loss is detected. There are three classifications of professionals who are qualified to address specific needs for those who are hearing impaired.
First, there are medical doctors called "otolaryngologists," otherwise known as "Ear, Nose, and Throat" specialists, or ENT's. Their role is to diagnose and determine possible medical reasons behind hearing loss.
Audiologist are usually only required to have a master's degree and have to obtain a license to practice from the state. While people who dispense hearing aids are not required to have the level of education that an audiologist has, they still must have state certification.
More often they are like traditional salespeople and usually have an association with an individual hearing aid manufacturer. These professionals need to be certified, but they do not need to be audiologists.
At this point there are four kinds of hearing aids. The ones referred to as "completely in the canal" are the smallest and almost invisible.
they are also the most expensive. They are most frequently used for those patients who have severe to profound hearing loss issues.
Although they are larger than their "completely in the canal" counterparts, in the canal devices" Even though these are a slightly bigger than the ones just discussed, they are still hidden far in the ear canal. The battery for a canal bearing aid is bigger, and you'll use these if your hearing loss is moderate.
The devices that are visible from the outside are called "in the ear" and encompass a much wider range of hearing loss problems. "behind the ear" hearing aids just go behind the ear, but they're large, and need a huge battery; however, they are the most effective at noise amplification. You can still obtain an analog hearing aid at small price, but you have to understand that they do not have the advanced technology of the newer versions.
It is a known fact that about 28 million Americans, incorporating all age groups, have hearing impairments. There are several other facts you should know about hearing.
Most hearing loss or impairment happens due to some sort of obstruction, disease, or an injury to one or several parts of an ear. Of the people with hearing impairments, 95% can experience corrected hearing using a hearing aid.
Quite notable is the fact that hearing loss among younger people is increasing at an alarming rate. There was a 17% increase in reported hearing losses for people ages 18-44 years in the years from 1971-1990. Otitis media, a common ear infection which affects 70 percent of infants and young children, This condition is suffered by 70% of all infants and young children.
