subject: Both Young And Old Can Benefit From Hearing Aids [print this page] Roughly 20 million Americans deal with hearing loss of one degree or another, and hold fast to the hope that they will not come to live the old proverb "silence is golden". So that their ability to hear is amplified, many have bought and now wear hearing aids. Due to assistance from a former American President, hearing aids are enjoying a greater level of acceptance. When the former president wore his ear canal hearing aid, it was on a national television network. What was even more important was his willingness to say he was dealing with a hearing problem.
Still, of the 20 million or so Americans who have trouble hearing, only 12.4 percent have made use of these amazing devices. A well known audiologist says that when people finally realize they have a problem they will take an average of five years to actually have it looked into professionally. According to her, people have a negative view of hearing aids, and this causes the reluctance to have one. Hearing aids are usually associated with growing old and wearing big ungainly devices on your ears.
Many children are hearing impaired, the audiologist goes on to say, even though most people associate such problems with old age. She reminds people that over the last 50 years hearing aids have come a long way. There are more choices available today that make hearing devices tolerable. The canal hearing aid is among the smallest and most recent innovations in hearing aids. People have taken to calling it the Reagan aid, as that is the type once worn by our former president, Ronald Reagan.
They haven't been around for more than a year, but these new hearing aids are particularly designed to fit like a glove in the canal of your ear, ensuring minimum visibility and light weight - if you have severe hearing loss, however, you might want a more powerful hearing aid for your needs.
This device is very appealing cosmetically, but its smaller size can be a problem for some users. There is a highly restricted production number of these devices, and their quality is hard to moderate. As a result of its size, it is not able to made in high volumes or at low prices. Even as the canal aid is the trendiest product available in this niche, it is not necessarily the most popular one. While these are hot items, they are not the most popular, as that honor still goes to the behind-the-ear hearing aid model. As stated in the latest studies released by the national hearing aid society, this particular hearing aid type makes up 52.4% of today's market.
When it comes hearing aids, the new canal aids are making up nearly 50 percent of sales today. Females typically select behind the ear versions, as they are able to camouflage the appliance with their hair, whereas men are likely to choose canal aids. Even with all the popularity of the behind the ear aids, there are still other devices being manufactured.
If you're concerned about your hearing and think that a hearing aid may help you, you should consult a professional and receive a medical diagnosis. You require medical permission from specialists before you can get a hearing aid. The audiologist we talked to can give permission if she wishes, although she claims a specialist will be better suited to diagnosing ear problems.
Since hearing loss may be due to another problem like an infection and may be corrected surgically or medically, a visit to the doctor should be made. State statutes require a physician's authorization for anyone to be able to purchase a hearing aid, though individuals are permitted to decline a medical exam as long as they sign a waiver.
If you decide to go this route, the hearing aid dealer is required to read the waiver aloud and tell the customer that purchasing the hearing aid without a medical examination is not the recommended procedure. Once the waiver is understood and signed the retailer will test for hearing loss and go about fitting the hearing aid. Before deciding upon a device it is advised you seek the advice of a qualified audiologist and undertake some tests. You may find that these tests are provided by some hearing aid dispensers.
A consumer might also want to ask a seller if they provide hearing aid trials before they actually make the final purchase from them. It could be free, or you might have to pay a bit. While the size of hearing aids are going down and they're increasing in popularity, they're only a stopgap measure. She remarked on how they are wonderful devices, but also made a point to remind prospective consumers that hearing aids simply boost sound without restoring hearing, unlike eyeglasses (which help to restore vision).
