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Hearing Loss Does Not Discriminate
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| The inability to hear
speech and other sounds can occur in any individual, regardless of
race, gender or age. In the United States alone, an estimated 28 million
people have some form of hearing impairment, and more than a million
school-aged children have a hearing loss that can significantly impact
speech/language development and education. Hearing loss can be temporary
or permanent, mild or profound. Fortunately, in most cases, something
can be done to improve the hearing impaired person's ability to communicate.
For many, the purchase of a hearing aid is the first step in rehabilitating
their hearing and reconnecting with the world around them. |
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| • Difficulty hearing conversations, especially in the
presence of background noise |
| • Frequently asking people to repeat what
they have said |
| • Misunderstanding what someone has said |
| • Difficulty hearing on the telephone |
| • Requiring the TV or radio volume to be louder than
preferred by others in the room |
| • Feeling that people are mumbling when they are talking |
| • Difficulty hearing certain sounds or pitches |
| • Agreeing or nodding your head during conversations
when you are uncertain of what has been said |
| • Removing yourself from conversations because it is
too difficult and taxing to hear |
| • Reading people's lips in order to follow what they
are saying |
| • Straining to hear or keep up with a conversation |
Warning Signs of Hearing Loss
Diagnosis of Hearing Loss
Early detection and treatment of hearing loss is crucial. See a hearing care professional immediately for a complete hearing evaluation if you suspect any type of hearing loss. The following tests are typically part of the hearing evaluation.
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| Audiometric
Testing |
A special machine (audiometer) is used
to measure the softest tones you can hear. You will hear various
tones/pitches, from low to high, at various levels. The range
of pitches tested encompasses those found in everyday speech.
You will be asked to raise your hand or press a button when
you hear the tones. The hearing care professional will determine,
based on your responses, the softest tones you can hear at each
pitch and record them on a graph called an audiogram. The audiogram
helps identify the type and degree of hearing loss you may have. |
| Immitance Testing |
These tests measure the middle ear's ability to conduct
sound. They may detect fluid buildup in the middle ear space,
a perforation of the ear drum or other problems in the middle
ear. |
| Speech Testing |
During your evaluation, you will not only be asked
to respond to various tones but to listen to and respond to
speech, either in the form of words or sentences. This provides
the hearing care professional with information regarding your
ability to detect and discriminate speech. |
Treatment of Hearing Loss
If your hearing care professional determines that your hearing
impairment does not originate from a medical problem, which can be
treated with medicine or surgery, a hearing aid evaluation can be
performed to determine if you are a good candidate to use hearing
aids. Although hearing aids do not provide normal hearing to the user,
they can help improve a hearing impaired person's ability to communicate
effectively.
| What can a hearing aid do? |
| • Make sound louder |
| • Make speech easier to understand in most situations
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| • Help you hear certain pitches better, such as high
- pitched consonant sounds (s, t, f and sh) |
| • Enable you to participate more fully in life's activities
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What can't a hearing aid do? |
| • Restore normal hearing |
| • Deliver the ability to hear speech perfectly when
competing sounds are present |
| • Transform distorted sound into clear sound
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| • Allow you to hear only what you want to hear
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How Does a Hearing Aid Work?
Sound enters the hearing aid through a tiny opening and is picked
up by the microphone. There is an amplifier inside the hearing aid
that makes the sound louder. The amplified sound comes out of the
hearing aid through a speaker (receiver) and is directed into the
ear canal. A tiny battery supplies the power to the hearing aid. Depending
on the hearing aid model, the volume can either be adjusted automatically
by the hearing aid or by the user with a small control on the hearing
aid.
How Long Should a Hearing Aid Last?
A hearing aid's life expectancy is typically three to five years.
What Should I Know Before Purchasing a Hearing
Aid?
First, see a hearing care professional for a complete hearing
evaluation.
Discuss with the hearing care professional whether a hearing
aid is of potential benefit. If so, determine which hearing aid style
and circuitry is right for you.
Be an educated consumer. Find out what brands of hearing aids
the hearing care professional offers and ask for literature. Consult
the manufacturers' websites for further information. Find out if there
is any research on the products the hearing care professional recommends
that confirms the benefits the hearing aid manufacturer claims to
offer.
See your physician to rule out any medical problems and obtain
medical clearance for the use of a hearing aid. Note: Some states
permit a medical waiver that indicates an adult has opted not to consult
a physician prior to the use of amplification.
Request a trial period and continue to ask questions until the
purchase and warranty terms are understood. Ask the hearing care professional
to document the terms and conditions in writing.
Take a relative or friend with you to your appointments. Any
medical condition can be overwhelming. Chances are good that you will
receive a great deal of information at once. Having another set of
ears to listen and possibly take notes will make all the difference
once you leave the professional's office.
Keep all of the follow - up appointments that your hearing care
professional schedules for you.
Stay in touch with your hearing care professional after the
initial fitting and adjustment period. Call them immediately if the
hearing aid is not working, it hurts your ear or it squeals when it
is in your ear.
Take advantage of other services that your hearing care professional
offers, including lip reading classes, aural rehabilitation programs,
literature on hearing loss and amplification, guidance on how to adjust
your hearing aid and hearing aid repair. If information is not readily
available, ask your hearing care professional what services they provide.
Keep a journal of your daily listening experiences, both good
and bad. This will provide valuable information to the hearing care
professional during any follow-up visits.
Remember you are your best advocate. Be assertive during your
appointments. Write down any questions you have in a notebook prior
to your appointment and bring the notebook with you. Ask the questions
you have listed in your notebook and write down the answers.
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