How can hearing aids help?

Hearing aids serve different purposes and needs. The goal of most hearing aid fittings is to make more speech sounds available to the listener. However, simply making sounds louder does not accomplish the goal! In 2005, most hearing aids process sounds to present specific speech information (sounds) to the listener, while reducing unwanted noises and sounds. In fact, with some hearing aid technology, such as; T-coils, FM systems, Directional Mics and Noise Reduction circuits, sometimes people wearing hearing aids can actually perceive a better speech signal than people not wearing hearing aids!

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Do all hearing aids work the same way?

No. Hearing aids work in many different ways to provide the needed and desired speech signals to the listener.

Some hearing aids deliver sound through the air, some deliver sound through bone conduction. Some hearing aids use FM signals, some use electro-magnetic signals (T-coils). Most hearing aids use digital technology, although some still use analog technology...some hearing aids use noise reduction technology, others don't! In brief, there are dozens of varieties and alternatives in the way hearing aids work!

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What can I expect from my hearing aids?

You can expect that after you have adapted and learned to use them properly (usually 4 to 8 weeks), many " speech sound " benefits from hearing aids will become available to you. You can expect your ability to perceive speech correctly will be enhanced. You can expect most conversations will be much easier with the hearing aids. You can expect more relaxed hearing, more confidence and more satisfaction from your conversations. Additionally, you can expect to hear warning sounds more readily with the hearing aids, than without!

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Where do I go to get hearing aids?

Hearing aids are available at professional offices. You can sometimes get a referral from your friends or physician, or your health insurance company. Another way to find an audiologist is to look in the yellow pages under " audiology " or search the Internet, placing keywords in a search engine (Google, Yahoo...) such as the name of your town or city, the word AUDIOLOGY, and/or the word HEARING AIDS . Another option is place your zip code in the FIND A PROFESSIONAL section on the homepage of our website.

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What questions should I ask before buying hearing aids?

There are many questions to ask before buying hearing aids. The first two questions are: Do I have permanent hearing loss? And -- Who should I see about this?

Some people have hearing problems caused by ear wax, which can be removed by the professional. Sometimes middle ear infections cause a temporary hearing problem which can be eliminated after medical treatment. Sometimes auditory processing disorders cause hearing problems. If any of these situations (or others) are present, your audiologist will be able to recognize and diagnose the problem and will manage or refer you to best handle these situations! Before purchasing hearing aids, a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation should be obtained, by a state licensed audiologist.

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