Hearing Loss- What You Need to Know!

28 million Americans currently have some degree of hearing loss. Some don't know they have hearing loss, and understandably, many don't want to admit they have hearing loss. Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions. It's estimated that 1/4 of Americans between the age of 65 and 75 and 3/4 of those over the age of 75 have some degree of hearing loss.

Symptoms of Hearing Loss

• You ask others to repeat what they say.
• You feel that other speakers "mumbl".
• You feel you can hear, but don't "understand".
• You turn the television up louder.
• You respond improperly.
• You have a problem hearing on the telephone.
• You have trouble hearing when there is background noise?
• You find it hard to follow a conversation when two or more people talk at once.
• You have "noises" (tinnitus) in your ears or head.

What is the Cause of Hearing Loss?

• Hereditary: Hearing loss can be genetically related.
• Aging: After the age of 40, the majority of us will start to lose some hearing ability.
• Noise Exposure: Loud noise exposure can cause significant hearing loss. The 2 most important factors that determine how severe the hearing loss will become is: the intensity and duration of the noise exposure.
• Disease or infection: such as, chronic serous otitis media with or without tympanic membrane perforation, eustachian tube dysfunction, cholesteatoma, autoimmune disorder, and many syndromic disorders.
• Ototoxic drugs: are usually from the "mycin" family and administered intravenously.
• Tumors: including neuromas, schwannoma, and glomus tumors.
• Trauma: including skull fracture, tympanic membrane perforations, fistulas, fracture of the ossicles, and disarticulation of the ossicular chain.

Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids

A hearing aid is one of the most "misunderstood" devices. Hearing aids in the past have not proven to have a very good "reputation". However, some of that criticism is unearned. Most people think that if you can't hear then you should just get a hearing aid and that will solve the problem. The problem in the past was that older technology was just unable to improve communication significantly for some degrees and slopes of hearing loss. Yet, these people needed amplification. The fact is that many people had hearing loss that past technology couldn't help very much. Technological hearing aid advancements are phenomenal. Today almost any type and degree of hearing loss can be helped giving the wearer improved communication ability. Advancements in receiver placement, directional microphones, telecoils, miniaturization of components, and wireless features have improved hearing aids tremendously.

Some important things to remember when you try hearing aids:

• If there is no contraindication to wear 2 hearing aids, you should. You will understand speech better especially when in groups and crowds.
• You must buy hearing aids for the right reason: You want to improve your communication ability with others. Not because someone else (your wife, your husband, your children) wants you to get a hearing aid. If you buy them to please someone else, you will not wear them.
• You must be dedicated and wear your hearing aids. You cannot wear them just when you think you need them. For example, "I'm going to see Dr. Jones today and I want to hear what she says so I better make sure I wear my hearing aids." You should get up in the morning, put in your hearing aids, and not take them off until you are ready to go to bed. You cannot get used to hearing "more normal" sounds by popping your hearing aids in and out of your ears. You must retrain your brain to "hear" sounds and adapt to understand this new "speech" it's receiving. This is a learning process.

Hearing Aids and the Law

Florida law requires a 30 trial period with the right of return for anyone being fit with hearing aids. The non-fundable fees are a maximum of $150 for one hearing aid and $200 for two hearing aids. There can also be a 5% cancellation fee. The cost may or may not include a hearing examination fee and hearing aid dispensing fee. This agreement should be in writing and signed by the purchaser and Audiologist (dispenser).

It is not uncommon to be charged for a hearing aid consultation fee ($150-$200) that is not covered by health insurance. Most health insurance does not pay for hearing aids.