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At the time your hearing is tested a determination if you need a hearing aid. You will be given a recommendation for a specific hearing aid. Hearing aids are expensive you’ll want to gather information before you decide on your final purchase.
There are many types of hearing instruments available. Some aids fit into the outer ear, some behind the ear, others in the ear. There are hearing aids designed for those for people with single sided hearing loss, people with middle ear involvement, implantable aids, there is even a hearing aid, which uses the persons teeth as part of the hearing aid system.
Put the ability to hear, not the size as your priority. Small aids may be too small to put in certain “extras” such as microphones or a telecoil or be difficult to manage for people physical limitations. While small aids may be less visible and be the perfect choice for some, vanity may decrease functionality. Others will understand you’re not rude or ignorant if they see you’re wearing a hearing aid.
It’s important to know a hearing aid will not correct your hearing the way glasses correct vision. It may be disappointing but setting your expectations at a reasonable level will help you in the long run.
Remember, there is no such thing as “the best” hearing aid. The best is what works for you, not necessarily the most expensive, the most powerful or the one with all the bells and whistles. Keep in mind that audiologist/hearing dispensers can’t carry all makes and models of hearing instruments. Occasionally someone may have to go to another source to find a good match.
Cochlear Implants
Cochlear Implants or “CI’s”: Some people may lose so much hearing that hearing aids no longer help. Many people can be helped by a surgically implanted device, which sends sound signals through the auditory nerve to brain. This device is called a cochlear implant. The implant does not correct the users deafness but allows sound to reach the brain and with time and practice the person learns to “hear” with the implant. Our Chapter has members with cochlear implants. They can answer many questions and concerns from a user’s perspective.
Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants
....living better with hearing loss.
