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Hearing is an essential to your quality of life. Helen Keller said that 'loss of vision means losing contact with things, but loss of hearing means losing contact with people'. A hearing loss influences the interaction between family and friends causing communication barriers between people who love and need one another. Anxiety, insecurity, isolation, and depression can affect those who do not hear well. Scientific studies indicate that the negative psychological changes due to untreated hearing loss may be reversed by hearing aid use.
Denial or minimizing a hearing loss frequently occurs, because people incorrectly associate it with aging and disability. Some are apprehensive about the challenge of learning how to use and insert a sophisticated, miniature electronic device. Others may feel shame and embarrassment about wearing a hearing instrument.
A full range of testing, evaluation, and hearing aid fitting as well as after-sale counseling is available locally from Hampshire Direct Hearing ( 50 mile radius of Southampton, England ) or contact your local hearing health care professional. You may also look in your local Yellow Pages under "Audiologists" or "Hearing Aids,"
Typically, the price of hearing aids includes all professional fees for testing, ear impressions, and home visits. Each hearing aid ranges in cost from £300 to £2,000 (Hampshire Direct Hearing prices) depending on the type of components and the style of instrument. A deposit of up to half the total may be required at the outset, and the balance can be financed with a payment plan. Also see: [ Terms and conditions ] [ Prices ]
Most hearing care providers offer a trial period for you to determine the value and benefits of your hearing aids. HDHS offer a minimum 30 day money back acceptance period, which may be extended, and will be specified on your order form or in writing. See: Terms and conditions
Studies confirm that over 90 percent of all consumers are satisfied with the service of the hearing care providers they have selected. Hampshire Direct Hearing is dedicated to your hearing and communication needs. We encourage you to be an informed consumer by inquiring about:
You should discuss the benefit of two hearing aids (binaural fitting). Approximately 65 percent of all new hearing aid fittings are binaural. Clinical studies have shown the binaural hearing aids enhance satisfaction and provide better overall hearing in more difficult listening situations such as small and large groups, outdoor environments, and in cars. See also: One or Two
Be realistic. Hearing aids will not "cure" hearing loss any more than eyeglasses will "cure" vision deficiencies; however, hearing aids may provide many benefits, enable people to hear better and assist you in hearing sounds more clearly. Practice and patience in consultation with your hearing care provider are the keys to success. Remember: your hearing, like your vision, can and does change over time. Your hearing care provider can help you to monitor and adapt your hearing aids to these changes. See also: How to get the most from your hearing instrument
Unlike watch batteries, hearing aid batteries typically last from four days to four weeks. We will provide you with an estimate of battery life for your model and use pattern from the manufacturers specification sheets or technical data. The factors that affect battery life are: how long the person wears the hearing aid each day, what type of circuit is in the hearing aid, and if the person opens the battery door when it is not in use. Special Note: Store your hearing aid batteries in a cool, dry place to prolong their shelf life. Do not store them in the refrigerator.
No. Hearing aids simply bring the level of loudness within a comfortable range for you. Noise exposure does make your hearing worse, but your hearing aid should never be prescribed loud enough to cause damage due to noise. It is postulated that hearing aids may help preserve the ability to understand speech because they allow the sensory cells in the inner ear to stay active.
There have been claims that hearing aids can eliminate background noise and amplify only the sounds you want to hear. The new 100% digital hearing aids do the best job in minimizing background noise; however, hearing aids cannot remove background noise. The newest hearing aid technology contains a 100% digital circuit which measures and reduces "noise-like" sound with a series of mathematical computations. The digital hearing aids process sound almost instantaneously, a feat hearing aids have never before been able to accomplish. This processing ability allows for the best hearing improvement when background noise is present. If you tried hearing aids and could not adapt due to the overwhelming amplification of background noise, you will find the digital hearing aid a major breakthrough in hearing aid technology.
This question can be answered with a series of questions:
If you answered "Yes" to one or more of these questions, you may have a hearing impairment and it would be wise to get your hearing checked as soon as possible.
We will determine if your hearing loss and the size and shape of your ear canal will accommodate the tiny, almost invisible hearing instrument. The advantages of the tiny hearing aids include better telephone compatibility, less outdoor wind noise and the obvious cosmetic appeal. The disadvantages are shorter battery life (approximately one week versus two weeks for bigger hearing aids) and a slightly higher cost than their larger counterparts.
Hearing aids are fragile instruments that need daily maintenance. It is not unusual for a hearing aid to be sent to the original manufacturer for repair or service. The majority of hearing aid repairs are caused by ear wax and moisture. You will receive instruction and cleaning supplies to keep your hearing instruments in good working condition to help reduce the number of repairs.
The life span of a hearing aid depends on many factors. A conservative life span estimation is outlined below based on the level of technology and the manufacturer recommendations.
Of course how well the instruments are taken care of is an important indicator of how many successful years you will receive from the aids. If hearing aids are protected from ear wax and moisture damage, they may last even longer than the above estimates.
A hearing aid will help with telephone if a few prerequisites are completed first. If telephone use is a high priority for you when trying amplification, a telecoil may be added to the hearing aid. The telecoil insures the hearing aid will not whistle while using a compatible telephone. The hearing aid when properly fitted and with instruction, should not whistle or distort when using the telephone.
Tinnitus is the name given to the head noises that some people experience. There are several reasons why we may have tinnitus. If a hearing impairment accompanies the tinnitus, the best form of alleviation may be a hearing aid. When the sounds around you are restored to their normal loudness levels with a hearing aid, the tinnitus tends to fall into the background and become more manageable. The tinnitus returns when the aids are taken out, however, one may experience considerable relief during the wearable hours. There are also "tinnitus maskers" which are often used when trying to sleep. The masker is tuned to match the tonal quality and pitch of the ringing, which blocks or "masks" the tinnitus. There are also instruments that look like hearing aids which "mask" the tinnitus; you may wear these devices all day. Counseling is the cornerstone for all tinnitus sufferers. The lack of control one has over the ringing, and the annoyance and distraction that come along with it can cause depression, anxiety, and/or insomnia. Counseling allows tinnitus sufferers to realize that they are not alone, and helps them find healthy ways to live with it. N.B. If you have recently started suffering from 'Tinnitus' it would be advisable to contact your Doctor first. Under the 'Code of Practice' of the Hearing Aid Council, Tinnitus is a referable condition and a professional Audiologist would refer you to your Doctor if you have not already sought his advice.
No, one should not sleep with their hearing aids in their ears. Taking the aids out allows the moisture to evaporate. Moisture within the hearing aid could cause electrical "shorts" within the circuitry, leading to an increased number of repairs. In addition, the outer ear may become irritated or even infected if it is not allowed to breathe. If hearing the alarm, the phone, or the doorbell is a concern, there are alerting devices that may supplement the hearing instruments. COMMON MYTHS ABOUT HEARING LOSS AND HEARING AIDSMYTH: Your hearing loss cannot be helped. FACT: People with hearing loss in one ear, with a high frequency hearing loss, and with nerve damage have all been told, often by a doctor, that they cannot be helped. Most people with hearing loss can be helped, the majority of them with hearing aids. MYTH: If I had a hearing loss, my family doctor would have told me. FACT: Very few physicians electronically measure your hearing; therefore, it is virtually impossible for most doctors to recognize your hearing loss. MYTH: Hearing aids do not work. FACT: Treatment is now possible for hearing losses which may have been difficult to treat just a few years ago. Modern hearing aids can help 95 percent of persons with hearing loss.
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