Who doesn’t love finding a good bargain? But when it comes to your health, be careful what you purchase and keep your eye on the little details.
The names “hearing aid” and “hearing amplifier” might seem similar but they are actually completely different devices. And making the wrong selection could have important implications for your hearing and your overall health.
Hearing amplifiers
A hearing amplifier is a small device that, when put in your ear, raises the volume of the sounds around you. Technically classified as personal sound amplification products by the government, these devices tend to be fairly basic and one-dimensional. The volume of the world is essentially cranked up.
Because of their one-size-fits-all approach, hearing amplifiers are not recommended for individuals who have moderate to significant hearing loss.
Clear difference between hearing aids and personal amplifiers
Once people learn that hearing amplifiers aren’t suggested for people with even moderate hearing loss, the differences between the two devices begin to become rather stark. Obviously, hearing aids are appropriate for people with hearing loss.
Both hearing aids and hearing amplifiers have the ability to increase volumes. But one of these devices has a much higher degree of amplification technology and sophistication.
- Whatever environment you find yourself, your hearing aids can tune in to it. There are quite a few factors that will impact the specific acoustics of a space. These adjustments can even happen automatically with some modern hearing aids. Other models can be calibrated with a smartphone or a dedicated device. You will avoid fewer locations because you will be able to hear better in a wider variety of settings as your hearing aids make little adjustments.
- Hearing aids are specially manufactured to help you process speech. Because communication is so central in our lives and also because of the irregular way hearing loss progresses, this is an important function. As a result, hearing aid makers have invested significant resources into enhancing the clarity of speech above all else. There are sophisticated algorithms and processes working inside of hearing aids to ensure that, even in a crowded and noisy place, voices come through clearly.
- With hearing aids, only select wavelengths of sound are amplified. That’s because people often lose their hearing one wavelength at a time. Frequencies at the higher and lower end of the spectrum are generally the first to go. Rather than making everything louder, hearing aids work to plug holes in what you’re hearing. This selective approach is far more effective for people who suffer from hearing loss.
Simply put, these features are crucial elements of properly managing hearing loss. And these are attributes that are not present in most personal hearing amplifiers.
Finding the best solution at an affordable price
Untreated hearing loss can bring about cognitive decline, along with increasingly diminished hearing abilities. Because amplifiers don’t distinguish between frequencies, if you raise the volume enough to hear what you’re missing, you’ll likely have it up too loud for other frequencies….and damage your hearing further. And that isn’t good for anyone.
Right now, the only recommended treatments for hearing loss, if it isn’t caused by earwax, are some surgeries and hearing aids. You won’t save any money long term by neglecting to get treatment for your hearing loss. Untreated hearing loss has been demonstrated to increase your overall healthcare costs more than 40 percent. Fortunately, there are affordable solutions. Just ask us.
References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373077