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Hearing Aids
Loss of hearing can be one of the most bewitching
problems making simple things like conversations
and watching TV frustrating if not impossible.
But a hearing aid can bring instant, non-surgical
relief and, because the latest hearing aids
are small enough to fit almost invisibly
in the ear canal, can be used with little
or no social stigma.
All hearing aids are essentially
battery
powered microphones that amplify
sound through
a tiny speaker, but there are
lots of models
to choose from. As you compare
manufacturers
and models, here are some guidelines:
- Style - In addition to the models that fit outside
and behind the ear, there are models that
fit inside the ear and yet smaller ones that
fit further inside the ear canal. Generally,
the less loss you have, the smaller the unit
to return you to normal hearing. In cases
of severe loss, the amplifying unit may be
more the size of a pack of cigarettes and
hang from a belt or ride in a pocket.
- Technology - Much like miniature home stereos, hearing
aids use several different technologies to
amplify sound.
- Analog units are the simplest and generally
have only a volume control. Some analog units
are digitally programmable and can have a
selection of programs that amplify sound
differently in different parts of the audible
spectrum in addition to controlling the over
all volume. This feature may be important
if your hearing loss is not uniform because
it allows you to adjust your hearing aids
to challenging environments like conversations
in a noisy restaurant.
- Digital hearing aids use electronics more
akin to computers to control when and what
frequencies of sound to amplify. They are
by far the most versatile and easiest to
tune to your hearing either by your audiologist
or yourself during the day. Directional microphones
and selective noise reduction or filtering
technologies can also help you hear the things
you want to hear even among the clutter of
background noises.
- Batteries - Because of the small size of hearing aids,
batteries aren't very large and don't last
very long. Look for units that take batteries
with the highest capacity. And because you
will be replacing batteries frequently, it
would be wise to check their cost, too.
- Remote control - Especially with the digital models, it
is helpful to have a control to change the
way your hearing aid works as conditions
in your listening environment change. Most
controls are about the size of a thick credit
card or a pocket calculator though they come
in many shapes (including wrist watches and
key fobs) and can be conveniently carried
with you everywhere.
- Low battery indicator and locator - Rather than having to guess that your
hearing is tailing off because the battery
is running low, many hearing aids emit a
low tone to signal low battery power. If
you lose track of a hearing aid, which is
easy because of their small size, the tone
can help you find it.
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