information on hearing aidsApproximately 35 million Americans suffer from a hearing impairment, including those who are completely deaf.  Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent chronic health conditions in the United States, affecting men, women and children of all ages, across all socioeconomic levels and in all segments of the population. 

When shopping for a hearing aid, it is best to find information on hearing aids through your primary care provider/doctor or through research on the Internet.  It is best when going to pick out a hearing aid to go to a place run by an otolaryngologist (an ear, nose, and throat doctor) who can rule out medical conditions such as bacterial infections or tumors that affect hearing.  There should also be an audiologist on site to fit the hearing aid.

A hearing aid provider may also offer rehabilitation classes or therapy after your hearing aid fitting to help you adjust to wearing and hearing with this new device.  You may also want to ask if the hearing aid provider allows for walk-in repairs so you do not have to make an appointment or wait to have your hearing aid repaired.

At your first fitting for a hearing aid, you will discuss your lifestyle and your hearing needs.  You will also have several hearing tests completed in a soundproof booth and then you will be able to choose from several different types and styles of hearing aids, some with more advanced technology than others, depending on the severity of your hearing loss.

You want to be sure to ask the audiologist about the features of each hearing aid you are considering. Ask about “telecoil” which is a feature that amplifies sound when you are on the phone without the background noise; ask about “directional microphone” that will help you hear better in a noisy environment by focusing in on the person you’re speaking to and the “feed-back suppression” which limits abrasive noise when you get too close to other audio equipment.

Of course you will want to discuss the cost of hearing aids; you should have a flexible trial period with a money-back guarantee.