High Tech Hearing Aids

What we need and what we want are often two different things. It is not hard to fall in love with something because of the way it looks or some features that it has, but you have to ask yourself if all of that is really necessary. If you want the best hearing aid price, you better only look for what you actually need and stay away from the extra costs.

When you first start to shop around for hearing aids, you would be best served to sit down with your doctor and go over the different types of hearing aids that are available, their features and see what is actually going to suit you. For instance, are you going to need binaural hearing aids or will you only need one?

Once you consult with the doctor, it is time to start shopping around for prices. The internet is great for this because you get to comparison shop side by side, without wasting the time and money on gas and going from store to store. You also should realize early on that for the most part, the technology is the same; it is just some brand specific features that are going to set them apart from each other.

For best results, you should try several models before actually buying one. The reality of it is that no two people are going to hear the same thing from the same hearing aid. With everyone’s condition being different from the next, what works great for your friend may not be the ideal hearing aid for you.

The warranty should also come into play when you are shopping. What if you find a hearing aid that has the same exact results as the other one that you are looking at, but costs $150 less? Now what if the less expensive one only has a 6 month warranty and the more expensive one has a 3 year warranty? That extra coverage may very well be worth the money, especially if you are using one of the more expensive models.

When you get the hearing aids side by side, make sure you compare the specs that are listed. This is key as different models may be identical except for an upgraded feature. The thing that you will have to ask yourself is if that feature is worth spending all of that extra money, especially if it is something that you only want, but don’t actually need.

It all comes down to shopping with a purpose and having all of the right information right in front of you. When you do this, there is no guess work involved and you are getting exactly what you need. It is like going into a grocery store without a list. You know you are going to be shopping with your eyes instead of from a prepared list. Shop prepared and you will end up finding the best hearing aid price for the item that you need.

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Hearing aids have certainly come a long way since those first wooden devices from the 1500s. If you look at the history of hearing aids, you will find an amazing evolution of technology. In the 21st century, it seems almost everything has gone digital, and hearing aids are no exception.

With at least 22 leading manufacturers of digital hearing aids, it is safe to say there has been a massive increase of demand for high-quality products. Many companies are in the process of developing even better digital technology; some are working on fourth and fifth generation digital hearing aids.

The first digital hearing aids on the market came out in 1987. Because only two manufacturers supplied the digital products, and also because they were very large and used a substantial amount of energy, consumers were less than receptive to the new idea. Since the end of the 1980s, more advanced technology has increased the quality of digital hearing aids.

More recently, digital hearing aids have gained tremendous success. Because they are smaller and more functional, more and more audiologists are recommending them to their patients. New digital hearings aids are available in both behind-the-ear and inside-the-ear models. Though these models are rather pricey, consumers are eager to take advantage of the new systems and enjoy a better quality of life.

The functioning of digital hearing aids is similar to the older, analog versions. Experts suggest that it is impossible to completely separate the two from each other. Digital technology merely implies that sound waves that were previously captured in analog form are now converted into a string of numbers that creates more precise hearing functions. Experts say that the digitalized versions are not better simply because they are digital, but because digital technology enhances the process of converting sound waves.

Because of digital hearing aids, persons with auditory disabilities have the option of living a more comfortable life and the ability to hear the sounds of loved ones voices. Assuming that technology continues to rapidly advance, it is likely we will see more digital advances in the not-so-distant future.

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Cheap hearing aids are easy to find if you know where to look. The American Hearing Aid Association has estimated nearly 10% of all Americans suffer from loss of hearing in one form or another. This means there are millions of people who dedicate their lives to making quality and dependable devices to aid hearing loss.

If you, or someone you know, is suffering from this condition than you will want to try and find cheap hearing aids to help this situation. Your audiologist, physician, or local retailer can tell you where to start your search.

One of the best ways to determine what will be best suited for you is to have a hearing test done in any way you see fit. Whether from a hearing aid retailer or at your audiologist’s office you can narrow down what will be the finest investment of your money.

Once you know the issues that surround your underlying condition you can start to find a resolution. A great way to go about this is getting free hearing aids on a trial basis from a Web site or local vendor. Finding sites or retailers that partake in this is as easy as asking questions in person or over the Internet.

In the United Kingdom, the NHS will also offer free hearing aids to people that qualify for their trial programs. Testing equipment and getting a feel for what is out there can help you assess what is going to be the most appropriate fit for you.

There are even Web sites that offer as much as 75% off of the retail value of these devices. This is the definition of cheap hearing aids and doing your research is going to be the most challenging part of this endeavor.

Getting free hearing aids and testing the market is a part of this research. Once you have determined your price range and understand the type of device that is best the rest will take care of itself.

Always remember just because you find cheap hearing aids it does not necessarily mean they are not going to be a good quality product. The simple fact of the matter is that they are all different. What might be best for some might not be the best for others. You will find the most referred and appraised devices are not always the greatest solution in finding an answer to your hearing loss issues. 

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John, a patient of mine, came into my office this summer for an audiological evaluation. His main complaint was a loud ringing noise in his ears. This is called tinnitus. He claimed that this “high pitched constant noise was so loud anyone ought to be able to lean over, put their ear next to his and hear it too”. The tinnitus was affecting his work during the day because he worked in a fairly quiet office and was making it very difficult to fall and stay asleep. John told us that he was irritable, short tempered, and just plain ol’ cranky most of the time, because he could not escape from the noise that he had come to focus on constantly.

Tinnitus is a phantom head or ear noise that the person perceives with no outside sound source present. Tinnitus can be in one ear or both. It can be present all of the time or come and go. It can change pitch and loudness. Tinnitus can be very low in volume and difficult to hear unless the environment is quiet and the person stops to “listen for it”. However, others report their tinnitus is extremely loud, making it difficult to hear conversations, television, movies, or even their own thoughts. Some describe the sound as ringing, hissing, buzzing, chirping, frying, cricket/cicada/mosquito insect noises, pulsing, whooshing, and some even hear music. (hopefully a type of music they like!) Tinnitus can begin after noise exposure, head or neck trauma from a car accident/sports injury, ear infection, sinus problems, after taking medications that are toxic to the ear/hearing, certain types of auditory, nerve or facial tumors, jaw misalignments, and even smoking. Sometimes its difficult to remember that anything we put into our body gets into the blood stream and goes through our ear system. Many diseases such as heart disease and diabetes can be associated with tinnitus.

As I am always stressing in my audiology practice: Please wear hearing protection! Everyone in my family laughs at me, but I pass out ear plugs, even at church, if the music gets too loud for my comfort. I wear hearing protection when I cut our lawn, use a blower or hammer, or attend a sports function, because even loud clapping hurts my ears. I feel you should wear hearing protection when using a blow dryer. I’m an audiologist, so it’s my job to be extreme when it comes to protecting the delicate hair cells of the inner ear.

John was fit with two CIC hearing aids with very large venting. He had normal hearing from 250-2kHz, dropping to a mild/moderate high frequency hearing loss from 3-8kHz. With this product we were able to give amplification only from 3-8kHz. It has been only 5 weeks, but John reports no tinnitus while wearing his CICs. I have found over the years that approximately 6 out of 10 hearing aid users report complete freedom or reduction in tinnitus while using their hearing aids. With this in mind, I always want to try this option with an open mind and open venting in the hopes that tinnitus sufferers will find some welcome relief with amplification. At night, when the ringing returns from taking out the hearing aids, we suggested that John use a bedside masker (a device that emits ocean waves, rain, thunder, forest, etc. sounds) with a pillow attachment so that his wife is not in the ocean with him all night long. She appreciates the silence and John loves sleeping “on the beach”.

There has been some encouraging preliminary reports from a major hearing aid manufacturer that some of their latest digital hearing aid technology has actually provided some users several days of relief from tinnitus. These are individuals with no significant hearing loss, but they do have constant moderate to severe tinnitus. Apparently the manufacturer is fitting their product in a manner similar to that of a high frequency hearing loss, using CICs with large venting. Their findings are to be compiled and released sometime in the near future. If shown to be valid, this will a huge step forward for tinnitus sufferers.

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Hearing loss, who has it? I do, and maybe you do, too. My loss developed slowly. The first sign was not being able to hear my husband if he spoke from another room. “What?” became a frequent question at our house. Finally, I had an audiogram and, though it showed a hearing loss, I didn’t get a hearing aid because I was so busy.

My days were filled with family matters, twin grandchildren, volunteer projects, a writing career, and a book publicity campaign. To save time and money I ordered a $300 hearing aid from a mail order company. It came with three ear inserts, large middle, and small, and none of them worked. So I gave up on the idea.

But the hearing issue resurfaced when I was taping a radio program. Musicians were recording a CD later that day and chairs and sound bafflers were clustered about the studio. Due to microphone placement the host sat on the far side of the studio. When he asked a question I didn’t hear it and, to cover my mistake, answered the next question in the script. Had I answered the right one?

The experience was so distressing I didn’t listen to the program when it aired. But I did make a medical appointment. According to Minnesota law, you can’t get a hearing aid if your audiogram is more than six months old. My audiogram was eight months old, so I had to be re-tested. Results: additional hearing loss in both ears, especially at high frequencies where consonants are heard.

Deafness runs in my family and I might have picked up on my hearing loss if I knew the symptoms. Here are the main ones.

1. Turning up the volume

2. Difficulty in hearing when there was background noise

3. Asking people to repeat sentences

4. Missing key conversation/meeting points

5. Misunderstanding words, names, numbers

6. Straining to hear what is being said

7. Fatigue (Straining to hear is tiring.)

8. Missing television/movie dialogue

As soon as the audiologist received my audiogram I went in for a hearing aid consultation. “You need a hearing aid for your left year,” she said, tracing a red descending line on the audiogram. Hearing loss or not, I heard that sentence clearly, and my mind added a cash register “ka-ching.” “You also need a hearing aid for your right ear,” she added, tracing a second descending line.

“Could I get by with just one hearing aid?” I asked.

“You could,” she replied, “but you’ll always be turning your head to the side and that looks funny.”

So I ordered two hearing aids. Technology has improved vastly during the last two years. Now hearing devices have tiny computers in them. Some are adjusted by hand, others by remote control, or automatically. I chose a type that adjusts automatically for small groups, crowds, and telephone conversations.

What’s the moral of my story? Instead of being reactive, as I was, I urge you to be proactive about your hearing. Watch for early signs of loss, especially a ping in your ear, an indication that a nerve cell is dying. Be alert to the symptoms listed above. If sound seems to be fading, get your hearing checked immediately.

Though it will take time to adjust to hearing aids, I know my quality of life will improve. At meetings I’ll be able to follow the discussion. I’ll be able to hear my husband whisper, “I love you,” my grandkids exclaim, “You’re funny!” or a reader say, “Thank you for writing this book.”

Copyright 2009 by Harriet Hodgson

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