We all enjoy a good bargain. But you should be careful and watch out for little details when it comes to your health.
The terms “hearing aid” and “hearing amplifier” might seem similar but they are actually entirely different devices. And making the wrong selection could have important implications for your hearing and your general health.
Hearing amplifiers
A hearing amplifier is a little device that, when put in your ear, increases the volume of the sounds around you. These tend to be really simple, one-dimensional devices which the government categorizes as personal sound amplification devices. The volume of the world is essentially turned up.
Because of their one-size-fits-all approach, hearing amplifiers are not recommended for individuals who have moderate to extensive hearing loss.
Hearing amplifier are not hearing aids
Once people learn that hearing amplifiers aren’t suggested for individuals with even modest hearing loss, the differences between the two devices begin to become pretty plain. Of course, hearing aids are appropriate for individuals with hearing loss.
Both hearing aids and hearing amplifiers make things louder. But one of these devices has a much higher level of amplification technology and sophistication.
- Whatever environment you find yourself, your hearing aids can calibrate to it. The acoustics of any given space will change depending on a long list of factors. These adjustments can even be made automatically with some modern hearing aids. Other models can be adjusted with a smartphone or a dedicated device. By making small adjustments to the settings of your hearing aid, you’re capable of hearing better in a wider variety of settings, meaning there will be fewer locations you want to avoid.
- Picking out and amplifying speech is one of the main features of a hearing aid. Because communication is so central in our lives and also because of the irregular way hearing loss develops, this is an important function. So this function has been prioritized by hearing aid manufacturers who have put substantial resources into improving it. There are state-of-the-art algorithms and processes working inside of hearing aids to ensure that, even in a crowded and noisy room, voices come through clearly.
- With hearing aids, only particular frequencies of sound are amplified. Because hearing loss frequently advances wavelength by wavelength. Wavelengths 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. For individuals who have hearing loss, this selective approach is more effective.
Bottom line, these capabilities are vital components of correctly managing hearing loss. And these are attributes that are not present in the majority of personal hearing amplifiers.
The right deal for your ears
Neglected hearing loss can bring about cognitive decline, along with increasingly diminished hearing abilities. With amplifiers, you’re very likely to do more damage to your hearing because the device doesn’t distinguish frequencies and will most likely turn everything up to unsafe levels. And who wants to do that?
Unless your hearing loss is being caused by earwax, hearing aids and certain surgeries are the only approved treatments for hearing loss right now. Ignoring hearing loss and bypassing treatment doesn’t save you money ultimately. General healthcare costs have been found to increase by over 40% with neglected hearing loss. The good news is, there are budget friendly options. Just ask us.
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References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373077