We all enjoy a good bargain. But you should be careful and be aware of little details in regards to your health.
We know, it’s confusing, the names are pretty similar, but hearing aids and hearing amplifiers are not identical. And your general hearing and health could suffer severe repercussions if you make the wrong decision about this.
What is a hearing amplifier?
A little 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 very simple and one-dimensional. A hearing amplifier is like turning the volume up on the world.
These devices are usually not recommended for people with moderate to severe hearing loss because of their one-size-fits-all strategy.
Distinct difference between hearing aids and personal amplifiers
It begins to become pretty obvious that hearing aids aren’t the same as hearing amplification devices when you recognize that amplifiers are not recommended for people with even moderate hearing loss. Obviously, hearing aids are appropriate for people with hearing loss.
Both kinds of devices are capable of raising the volume of external sound. But one of these devices has a much higher level of amplification technology and sophistication.
- Picking out and amplifying speech is one of the main functions of a hearing aid. To some extent, that’s as a consequence of the uneven way hearing loss progresses, but it’s also because communication is such an essential function of your hearing. As a result, hearing aid makers have invested monumental resources into enhancing the clarity of speech above everything else. There are sophisticated algorithms and processes working inside of hearing aids to make sure that, even in a crowded and noisy space, voices come through loud and clear.
- Hearing aids are made to identify and magnify certain frequencies of sound. That’s because people normally lose their hearing one wavelength at a time. Either high-frequency sounds or low-frequency sounds generally fade first. Instead of making everything louder, hearing aids work to plug holes in what you’re hearing. This selective approach is a lot more effective for people with hearing loss.
- Whatever environment you find yourself, your hearing aids can tune in to it. The acoustics of any given space will change depending on a long list of factors. Some hearing aids can fine tune to these changes automatically. Other models can be tuned with a smartphone or a dedicated device. By making minute adjustments to the settings of your hearing aid, you’re able to hear better in a wider variety of settings, meaning there will be fewer locations you wish to avoid.
Simply put, these features are crucial components of effectively treating hearing loss. And these are features that are not present in most personal hearing amplifiers.
The best deal for your ears
Along with a diminished ability to hear, untreated hearing loss can also result in cognitive decline. Because amplifiers don’t differentiate between frequencies, if you turn them up enough to hear what you’re missing, you’ll likely have it up too loud for other wavelengths….and damage your hearing further. And who needs to do that?
Currently, the only recommended treatments for hearing loss, if it’s not caused by earwax, are some surgeries and hearing aids. Dismissing hearing loss and avoiding treatment doesn’t save you money long term. Neglected hearing loss has been shown to increase your general healthcare costs over 40%. Fortunately, there are affordable options. We can help.
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References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373077