By You have only seen a small fraction of the hearing aids that people in your life are wearing. Some are so small they fit invisibly within the ear, while others are made of materials that blend with skin tone or are mostly transparent. If you need a hearing aid, bear this in mind as you begin the exciting or overwhelming process of choosing.
Digital or Analog? What is this, a Home Audio System?
Yes, your hearing aid is your own personal home audio system. They come in analog and digital now, too. One of the advantages of digital is that they can actively tune sound to match your hearing profile. Digital hearing aids can also filter sounds to emphasize voices and speech, helping you to communicate better. Analog hearing aids may be less expensive for you, though, and for simple amplification purposes they can be the right tool for the job.
Beware the Water Hazard
Tiny hearing aids are discreet, often more comfortable, and simple to wear, but they can be quite expensive. When they decide to dive from your ear, it may be just your luck that they choose the same place most cell phones seem to fall, or somewhere where they easily get lost. If you choose these, be sure to follow care and installation instructions.
If you can think of how it feels when you talk while wearing headphones, that is also something to consider with hearing aids which fill your ear canal. Some people are not comfortable with that “plugged” sound when they speak. But outside the ear devices have improved in important ways, so consider them, too, when you’re looking at the hearing aids in Sun City, AZ hearing centers offer.
New Materials, New Looks
Clear plastics, comfortable materials, and narrow tubing which lets you tuck away the external electronics help make external hearing aids, or “behind the ear” units, Even if you’ve gotten used to an older model, you owe it to yourself to try newer hearing aids and see how it can improve your hearing and comfort. The National Institutes of Health has a great resource for looking at your options and making an informed decision.
Landline or Mobile Phone Compatibility
Most hearing aid wearers need to be able to use a standard telephone or their mobile phone while wearing the device. Government standards have ensured that hearing aids and phones are compatible in most cases. Microphone hearing through the phone can be tricky, so “induction loop” technology is also available with many phones, which transfers sound electronically rather than speaker-to-microphone.
You’d be surprised at how others have arranged to help you hear. With your hearing aids Sun City AZ churches and theaters can lend you an induction loop device to hear better than you might in an echoing room with the hearing aid’s microphone. Ask the ushers, or contact public facilities and let them know you’re interested in hearing impaired accommodation. You might have an advantage over non-hearing aid wearers at these locations!
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