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Located in Austin, Owatonna, and Waseca, MN Call: 1-800-804-3361 |
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Questions and Answers about hearing
loss and hearing aids.
Q. How important is it to have two hearing aids when there is hearing loss in both ears? Or would it be ok to try just one hearing aid first?
A. If both ears are the same, and the speech discrimination is equally very good in both ears, one could start with a single hearing aid, but the limitations of wearing just the one hearing aid should be fully understood. With a single hearing aid you will not be able to localize sounds, such as knowing whether a car approaching is coming from your left or your right. You will not hear as easily or clearly in noisy surroundings. You will not understand soft speech as easily. Sounds will not have the same clarity or depth with only one hearing aid versus two. There are studies that have shown that if you wear only one aid when the other ear also needs a hearing aid, you may have an increased risk of auditory deprivation. This is when the brain gradually loses its ability to process information from the unaided ear because of a continued lack of sound stimulation. This occurs over a long period of time. The brain literally forgets how to hear. One could start with just one aid, but the advantages of binaural hearing are great, especially the clarity of speech in more difficult situations. It is a bit like buying only one of the lenses for your eyeglasses.
Q: I wear my hearing aids only when I go out and have a great deal of difficulty hearing in groups. My Audiologist says the hearing aids are functioning well but I never feel comfortable with them. What should I do?
A. The first thing you should do is to wear your hearing aids ALL the time, not just when you go out.
To receive the most benefit from your hearing aids it is important to wear them daily. This will allow your brain to adapt to hearing more sound and learn to interpret the sounds you hear. Otherwise, wearing them only when you go out to social functions will cause overload by introducing unfamiliar sound that will make it harder for you to adjust. By wearing them only on occasion it is like wearing them for the first time every time you go out and that can be very difficult.
Q: What is the difference between an Audiologist and a Hearing Instrument Dispenser? A. The differences are outlined in the Minnesota Department of Health Bulletin entitled, “Legal Rights and Consumer Information about Purchasing a Hearing Instrument.” This is a bulletin that every consumer should receive when purchasing a new hearing aid.
The bulletin states: There are two types of practitioners regulated in Minnesota and authorized to dispense hearing instruments who may help you with a hearing loss. Their qualifications are: Audiologists are persons licensed by the Commissioner of Health who: (1) have completed at least a Master’s degree and a supervised professional internship experience in audiology; (2) provide diagnostic hearing evaluations; (3) specialize in the evaluation and rehabilitation of individuals with hearing loss; and (4) recommend, fit and/or dispense hearing instruments. Hearing Instrument Dispensers are persons certified by the Commissioner of Health who: (1) have passed a written and practical examination, (2) provide hearing testing and evaluations for the purpose of hearing aid recommendation, selection and fitting; and (3) recommend, select and fit hearing instruments. Q: Which brand of hearing aid is best?
A. There are several brands of hearing aids on the market today. Most of the brand names that consumers are familiar with are the brands that are marketed by franchises. These franchises tend to sell only one brand of hearing instrument, which actually will limit your options immensely if you try out a hearing aid and find that it does not suit your needs. A consumer should also keep in mind that what works well for their friend may not work well for them. My advice is to purchase your hearing aid from an Audiologist that is dispensing several different brands of hearing aids. If one brand does not work you can then try another brand of hearing aid.
Q: How long will hearing aids last?
A. Hearing aids last an average of 5 to 6 years. Some people will decide to get new hearing aids earlier either due to changes in their hearing or the desire to have better technology.
Q: What can I expect to hear with my hearing aids?
A. You will be able to detect/hear all sounds better including voices and environmental sounds. Understanding speech may still be difficult in very noisy places. Some people will be able to hear better with hearing aids than others, this depends on the individual’s ability to hear words clearly.
There are two basic parts of a hearing test that an Audiologist looks at in determining how well someone will do with hearing aids. First, is how loud the sounds need to be in order for them to hear them and secondly, how clearly that individual can hear the words that are spoken. Your Audiologist can explain that portion of your test to you and give you an idea of what you can expect.
Please keep in mind that most people with hearing aids will still experience difficulty hearing in noisy places, in groups, and quite often in church. This pitfall of hearing aids is improved upon by manufacturing companies all the time but is still far from perfect. Bottom line….don’t expect to hear in every situation as even people with normal hearing have difficulty from time to time. |
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