We all love a good bargain. But you should be careful and watch out for small details in regards to your health.
The terms “hearing aid” and “hearing amplifier” may seem similar but they are actually completely different devices. And making the wrong choice could have important implications for your hearing and your overall health.
Hearing amplifiers
A small device that goes inside of your ear, a hearing amplifier increases the volume of outside sound. Technically classified as personal sound amplification products by the government, these gadgets tend to be quite basic and one-dimensional. The volume of the world is essentially cranked up.
These devices are typically not suggested for individuals with moderate to significant hearing loss because of their one-size-fits-all strategy.
Hearing amplifier are not hearing aids
Once consumers learn that hearing amplifiers are not 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 individuals who cope with hearing loss.
Both types of devices can raise the volume of external sound. The biggest difference between the two devices is how cutting edge that amplification is.
- Whatever environment you find yourself, your hearing aids can calibrate to it. The acoustics of any given place will change depending on a list of variables. Some hearing aids can fine tune to these changes automatically. Other models can be tuned 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.
- Selecting and amplifying speech is one of the primary functions of a hearing aid. Because communication is so essential in our lives and also because of the irregular way hearing loss develops, this is an essential function. Because of this, hearing aid makers have invested monumental resources into maximizing the clarity of speech above all else. There are state-of-the-art algorithms and processes working within hearing aids to make sure that, even in a crowded and noisy place, voices come through clearly.
- With hearing aids, only select frequencies of sound are amplified. Because hearing loss frequently progresses wavelength by wavelength. Either high-frequency sounds or low-frequency sounds commonly fade first. Rather than making everything louder, hearing aids work to plug holes in what you’re hearing. This selective approach is far more effective for individuals who suffer from hearing loss.
Simply put, these features are vital elements of correctly treating hearing loss. In most cases, personal amplifiers don’t have these features.
The right deal for your ears
Along with a decreased ability to hear, neglected hearing loss can also lead to cognitive decline. With amplifiers, you’re very likely to do more harm to your hearing as the device doesn’t distinguish frequencies and will most likely turn everything up to unsafe volumes. And that’s not good for anyone.
Unless your hearing loss is being caused by earwax, hearing aids and certain surgeries are the only approved treatments for hearing loss at this time. Ignoring hearing loss and bypassing treatment doesn’t save you money in the long run. General healthcare costs have been shown to increase by more than 40% with neglected hearing loss. The good news is, there are affordable solutions. We can help.
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References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373077