I know I have a Hearing Loss … But I Don’t Want Hearing Aids!

Posted on December 21, 2014 by Adam Bernstein

Imagine you were having trouble seeing and frequently had to ask family members questions like, “Who is that?” or “What’s happening on the TV?”
Then, imagine you went to the eye doctor and were told you had a vision problem. What would you do? Would you try to improve your vision with either glasses or contact lenses? The chances are you would.
But what if, instead of your vision, we were talking about your hearing? If you had a problem, would you do something about it?
Unfortunately, many people wouldn’t.
In a survey conducted by Sergei Kochkin, of the Better Hearing Institute, it was found that people generally wait seven years after diagnosis of hearing loss to pursue hearing aids.
Why the delay?
The progress of hearing loss is often so gradual that many people don’t realize the impact until the situation becomes quite severe. They’ve been compensating for years, but those techniques are just not working anymore. I’ve had many patients tell me that they think they’re doing fine, but they’ve come to see me because their family members think otherwise. “They just need to stop mumbling,” is a common complaint. But are they mumbling, or has the hearing loss finally reached a critical point?
Some patients are concerned that everyone will know that they’re wearing hearing aids. While this may be true, even though they’re smaller and more discreet than ever, I’ve always thought that a hearing loss is much more noticeable and negative than hearing aids. But over the past 20 years my practice has successfully fit thousands patients with hearing aids. So maybe I’m a bit biased!
Many people are concerned that hearing aids will make them look old. I’ll refer again to the above and add that saying, “What?” all the time also makes you look old, and it frustrates the people who are trying to communicate with you.
I have had hearing aid patients of all ages, from a few years old to over 100 years old. Hearing aids are for anyone who needs them, regardless of age.
Cost is certainly a concern for many patients.
Will insurance cover hearing aids?
This is a complicated question, as there are many types of insurance, each with different benefits. The best thing to do is to call your insurance company and ask what your hearing aid benefit is, if any. If you don’t have a benefit, it’s helpful to know that there are a range of instruments available, and they typically fall into three broad categories: entry level, mid-level and advanced. What will work best for you depends largely on your lifestyle. The more active you are and the more often you are in complex listening environments (background noise, multiple talkers, etc.), the more you will appreciate the higher level technology and the brain support it provides. Also, keep in mind that it isn’t a good idea to save money by only getting a single high level hearing aid if you are prescribed two. Get the left and the right, and if you need to save money, get a lower-level hearing aid. The benefits of wearing two hearing aids outweigh the increase in technology level.
                                   (originally posted by Adam Bernstein.)

Do Hearing Aids Ever Make Hearing Worse?

The simple answer is no, hearing aids should not harm your hearing. For decades hearing aids have had loudness limits where the sound cannot exceed a certain level. So a properly fit hearing aid and a properly set hearing aid will not get loud enough to do any damage.
 Why then, do some hearing aid users feel their natural hearing gets worse after just a few weeks of wearing their new hearing aids? This can occur once their brain has adapted to their improved hearing. And without their hearing aids, they feel like they hear worse than before. They’re addicted to hearing better.
There are, however, products that can harm your hearing. For instance amplifiers that you purchase over the counter without hearing measurement(Hearing loss is measured by a professional) at places such as internet (online shop) sites. do have the ability to harm your hearing. These products are simple amplifiers and the loudness level is not based on your specific hearing. So turning up these amplifiers too loud may indeed do damage to your hearing.

Hearing loss is measured by a professional during a comprehensive hearing evaluation. During a comprehensive hearing evaluation, the ability to hear speech and frequency-specific tones as a function of the loudness required to hear them is assessed. In other words, hearing is essentially measured as "loudness versus pitch." Results are plotted on an audiogram. Loudness is plotted on the y-axis with softest sounds closest to the top and loudest sounds at the bottom. Frequency is plotted on the x-axis with low pitch sounds farthest to the left, increasing in frequency as you move along the axis to the right. Hearing loss (HL) is measured in decibels (dB) and is described in general categories:

Degree of Hearing loss Audiometric Thresholds

• Normal hearing (0 to 25 dB HL)
• Mild hearing loss (26 to 40 dB HL)
• Moderate hearing loss (41 to 70 dB HL)
• Severe hearing loss (71 to 90 dB HL)
• Profound hearing loss (greater than 91 dB HL)

What a Hearing Aid Can and Can't Do

What a Hearing Aid Can and Can't Do All hearing aids increase the level of a sound so you can hear the sound better and use this information to understand the world around you.
Not all hearing aids will do well in noisy places however. Hearing aids pick up all sounds. Some hearing aids, such as digital ones, are designed to separate the important sounds from the background noise to help you "focus" your attention on what you need to hear.
Hearing aids will help you hear conversations at a reasonable distance. Honestly, hearing aids will not be as effective beyond 15 feet. This is why they are so much more effective in your living room than they are at church or in a conference room. There are other technologies which help in these areas.
Hearing aids will often make your voice sound funny or different. Right away, your hearing aid will make you hear well for the first time in a long time. Also (depending on the model), they take up space in the ear which changes the way sound resonates in your head. Part of this effect can be duplicated if you stick your finger in your ear. Ultimately, the wearer gets used to this sound fairly soon if they use their hearing aid(s) consistently. Your Audiologist can also make physical and programming adjustments to the aids to reduce this.
Hearing aids are not normal hearing. They are an artificial device providing electronically altered sound to a damaged ear. There are many adjustments your Audiologist can make to these aids to change the way they sound and work. You, the wearer, will change too as you continue wearing the aids. You will adapt to the new sound. Remember, while they are not the same as normal hearing, they are better than not being able to hear and function in the world.
Hearing aids take time to adapt to. Some people become accustomed to them in a few days while others might need to work with them for a few weeks. Still others might need a few months of consistent use to be fully comfortable and confident.
Hearing aids are supposed to feel snug and maybe even a little "full" at first. Hearing aids are not supposed to hurt. If you experience pain or soreness from wearing them, stop using them until you can get back to the audiologist for adjustments.
No two ears are exactly alike, including the two on our own head. Don't be surprised if the sound quality is a little different in the left ear than in the right. The right aid may feel different in your ear than the left as well.
Hearing and vision are interrelated. We "hear" with our eyes, too. Reading someone's gestures and facial expressions help us to stay focused on what they are talking about. Try to make eye contact with the person you are speaking with. This will keep them focused on you and how they are communicating with you as well. It also helps to get as close as possible to the person speaking and as far as is practical from any extra sounds which might distract you or overshadow the speaker's voice.

Binaural hearing

You will hear better with two aids than with one. You have two ears because you need two ears. For anyone, listening with just one ear is more dull and artificial than with two. Two ears help us to locate a sound and direct our attention to it. If there is more than one sound, two ears help you find the source of the one you are listening to thus better enabling you to focus in on it.
No one can hear as well with one ear as they can with two. It is impossible to tell the direction of a sound with one ear. It is also much harder for even normal hearing listeners to focus on one sound in the presence of background noise using one ear.

Lazy Ear

I have known some people to tell a potential hearing aid user, "If you don't start wearing a hearing aid right away, you'll lose all of your hearing!" For the most part, this is a scare tactic but there is some truth in this as well.
An ear is just like any other part of your body: if you don't use it, it gets "lazy" or less able to function. This is called atrophy. If someone has useable hearing in both ears and chooses to help only one, in time the unassisted ear can become less able to function for communication even if the hearing levels stay the same.

Which Hearing Aids You Need!

. Hearing Aids
Hearing aids have helped thousands and thousands of people hear better. Today’s technically advanced, sleekly designed hearing aids are helping people with hearing loss regain their quality of life and remain socially involved. In fact, eight out of ten hearing aid users say they are satisfied with the changes that have occurred in their lives specifically due to their hearing aids. And 82 percent of hearing aid users would recommend hearing aids to their friends.
Advantages of hearing aids:
1. Helps you hear better – This is obviously the main benefit for anyone that uses a hearing aid. Being able to hear easily what is going on around you definitely makes life easier, no matter what age you are. That is why so many people believe that the advantages of hearing devices outweigh the disadvantages, given a little time.
2. Different styles – There are so many different styles of hearing aids available these days that anyone can easily find the right style for you. Not everyone is the same in the type of hearing device you need and not everyone is the same in the style that you prefer, so having options is definitely an advantage.
3. Cost effective – No matter what your budget is, you can easily find a hearing aid that will be cost effective for you. With so many different brands and styles available, if you shop around, you can easily find ones that you can afford and even save money on them.
For more information about hearing aids, contact our hearing specialists today!

. Cost of Hearing Aids
The cost of hearing aids has actually decreased relatively over time, when compared to the rate of inflation. Today, hearing aids range from approximately $90.00 to $4,000 each, depending on the technology selected. Several factors contribute to the cost of hearing aids, including: research and development costs; customization of each hearing aid to fit the needs of the wearer; manufacturing costs; and time spent with the professional who selects, fits, programs, adjusts and services the instruments.
Averaged over the lifetime of the instruments (3 – 5 years or more), the cost per day of a pair of highly featured, advanced digital hearing aids is about $3 – less than a large latte at your favorite java joint. And hearing aids are proven to not only help you hear better, but to actually improve the quality of life for people with hearing loss and their families. I’d say that is one worthy investment to make.
Many people are not financially prepared to pay up-front for hearing aids, particularly in today’s economy.  For some, it is helpful to have payment options available. By breaking the hearing aid purchase down into monthly payments, people with hearing loss can more easily afford to obtain the latest hearing technology and services.
Your hearing professional may offer payment plans. There are also funding options available from a variety of sources for people who qualify.
For more information about the cost of hearing aids, contact us today!

. Hearing Aids Accessories,

Hearing aids can now be paired with Bluetooth cell phones, GPS systems, TV systems and other microphone units which allow for direct input of the signal into the hearing aids without the background noise. Enjoy listening to a cell phone conversation or music through both ears with a richer sound quality than in the past. Remote controls are also available with some hearing aids.
The latest information on hearing aid accessories and supplies for individuals who are experiencing hearing loss, looking for hearing health information for their loved ones, or just desire to learn more about hearing aid accessories and supplies to make the right hearing health decisions.
Hearing Aid Batteries
The most basic hearing aid accessories required to use your hearing aids are hearing aid batteries. Although rechargeable hearing aids are available on the market, most hearing aids are powered by disposable hearing aid batteries.
Hearing Aid Dryers
Some individuals benefit from storing their hearing aids in a dryer at night. It works as a dehumidifier. This product is useful for individuals who live in warm moist environments.
There are several wireless devices that can help individuals understand television better. There are devices that work without hearing aids as well as devices that work with hearing aids.

 . Hearing Aids Repair
Even though modern digital hearing aids are significantly more robust and reliable than their analog predecessors, occasional problems caused primarily by excess moisture and/or cerumen build-up can still occur. If you experience a problem with your hearing aid, contact us immediately and we will guide you in the right direction to getting your hearing aid fixed.
Why should you choose us?
Great Savings – Repairing a hearing aid may cost so much money that you might as well just buy a new one. Within our network, we have professional hearing aid repair service providers that offer excellent services at affordable rates.
A Professional Staff – We’ll help you find technicians who are experts in repairing hearing aids. Rest assured that our hearing aid providers can get the job done the first time and that recurring problems can be prevented with proper education and service.
Topnotch Services – With the Hearing Aids Direct network, you can expect to find service providers that offer topnotch, reliable services at a flat rate.
Fast Repair – We know how important your hearing aid is to you, that’s why you can count on us to help you find a service provider that does a great job fast so you can stop worrying and get back to your everyday life in no time.
Contact us today and we’ll help you get your hearing aid fixed fast, properly and for a fraction of the price.