Alan Aaronson Hearing Aids: March 2010 Blog Archives

Which Digital Hearing Aids are best for you?

• posted on Tuesday, 23 March 2010 07:45
Digital hearing aids are an important part of life for many people, especially when they are older. However, not all hearing aids are the same.

The type of hearing aid you need would depend on your lifestyle, and the degree of hearing loss that you experienced. There are some digital hearing aids that can completely fit in the ear canal, so that it barely visible from the outside. The biggest advantage is that, as they look. They are very discreet, that there is no doubt. However, these hearing aids are usually suitable for people with mild or moderate hearing loss

These in-ear hearing aids are sometimes limited, as many of their limited size of the more advanced hearing aid features, such as preventing, for example, that two integrated microphones and Telecoil. The hearing aid market is far better than the completely in the canal hearing aid capability. Another type of hearing aid is one that partly fits into the ear canal (ITC).

This style is hardly noticeable, but keep the important features that many people are looking at the latest digital hearing aids. Some of these hearing aids with a remote control with which you can get the volume and other advanced features of your digital hearing aid.

The newest and most exciting developments in hearing aid technology is the open ear hearing aid, including Rite in the ear (receiving) technology. This open ear digital hearing aids are incredibly discreet and wonderfully clear sound, largely problem-free and very easy and comfortable. These open ear hearing aids usually consist of a small “pod” Sitting at the tip of the ear that runs most of the houses of the components and the battery, a small thin wire from that into the ear, and a soft rubber-like dome that houses the speaker unit and gives the sound directly to the ear with a cozy and comfortable amenities.

There are also digital hearing aids, which fill the entire ear (full-shell), which is the same work as do the ITC hearing aid, but generally a larger hearing aids use batteries, so that the longer life of the battery. These are not as discrete as the previously mentioned hearing aids.

The last conventional hearing aid style is a BTE (behind the ear), which are the traditional hearing aid is adaptation, and style, from the NHS in Britain would. These are pretty big hearing aids, sitting at the top of the ear with a hose and a form sitting in the ear. These are the most conspicuous hearing aids, but for some people with severe or profound hearing loss, they can choose the best digital hearing aid.

Labels: ,

More Hearing Loss & Hearing Aid information

• posted on Saturday, 20 March 2010 18:02
Hearing Problems

If you can identify with one of the following then we can help YOU!


  • Do You Have Difficulty Hearing in Noisy Situations?
  • Do You Hear People Speaking But Have Difficulty Understanding the Words
  • Do You Have Difficulty Understanding on the Phone?
  • Do You Have To Turn Up the Television and Radio So It's Too Loud For Others?
  • Haven't Had a Hearing Test in Over a Year?

What You Should Know


  • Hearing loss developed later in life, comes on slowly, is permanent, and often gets gradually worse.
  • Most of these losses can be helped effectively by individually selected prescribed and fitted hearing aids.
  • Some adults can have their hearing corrected by an ENT surgeon, so it is important to have an evaluation to make this determination.

It is typical for individuals with a mild to moderate hearing loss to be unaware of their problem, even though family and friends are quite aware of it.

Most hearing professionals believe that hearing loss in older adults is the accumulation of two or more causes, such as exposure to loud noises and family history or simply the natural aging process.

Hearing loss is invisible and almost always painless. There are no physical warning signs, except in some cases there may be ringing in the ear(s). But the real reason hearing loss "sneaks" up on you is that the change is so gradual. Most hearing losses develop over a period of 25-30 years. By age 50 or 60, there can be enough deterioration to interfere with conversation.

Hearing loss can prevent the quality of life you've hoped for. It can restrict your ability to interact with others, prevent you from hearing important information, cause misunderstandings, heighten stress, cause unnecessary fatigue and filter out the subtle sounds of nature. Don't let poor hearing make you miss out on the many good and vital messages of life.

Labels: ,

Introduction to Hearing Aids

• posted on Saturday, 13 March 2010 18:59
A Hearing Aid is a small electronic device that you wear in or behind your ear. Hearing Aids make some sounds louder so that a person with hearing loss can listen, communicate, and participate more fully in daily activities. A hearing aid can help people hear more in both quiet and noisy situations. However, only about one out of five people who would benefit from a Hearing Aid actually uses a Hearing Aid.

More About Hearing Aids


A Hearing Aid has three basic parts: a microphone, amplifier, and speaker. The Hearing Aid receives sound through a microphone, which converts the sound waves to electrical signals and sends them to an amplifier. The amplifier increases the power of the signals and then sends them to the ear through a speaker.

How can Hearing Aids help?


Hearing aids are primarily useful in improving the hearing and speech comprehension of people who have hearing loss that results from damage to the small sensory cells in the inner ear, called hair cells. This type of hearing loss is called sensorineural hearing loss. The damage can occur as a result of disease, aging, or injury from noise or certain medicines.

A Hearing Aid magnifies sound vibrations entering the ear. Surviving hair cells detect the larger vibrations and convert them into neural signals that are passed along to the brain. The greater the damage to a person's hair cells, the more severe the hearing loss, and the greater the Hearing Aid amplification needed to make up the difference. However, there are practical limits to the amount of amplification a Hearing Aid can provide. In addition, if the inner ear is too damaged, even large vibrations will not be converted into neural signals. In this situation, a Hearing Aid would be ineffective.

How can I find out if I need a Hearing Aid?


If you think you might have hearing loss and could benefit from a Hearing Aid, visit your physician, who may refer you to an otolaryngologist or audiologist. An otolaryngologist is a physician who specializes in ear, nose, and throat disorders and will investigate the cause of the hearing loss. An audiologist is a hearing health professional who identifies and measures hearing loss and will perform a hearing test to assess the type and degree of loss.

You and your audiologist should select a Hearing Aid that best suits your needs and lifestyle. Price is also a key consideration because Hearing Aid range from hundreds to several thousand dollars. Similar to other equipment purchases, style and features affect cost. However, don't use price alone to determine the best Hearing Aid for you. Just because one Hearing Aid d is more expensive than another does not necessarily mean that Hearing Aid will better suit your needs.

The Hearing Aid that will work best for you depends on the kind and severity of your hearing loss. If you have a hearing loss in both of your ears, two Hearing Aids are generally recommended because two Hearing Aids provide a more natural signal to the brain. Hearing in both ears also will help you understand speech and locate where the sound is coming from.

A Hearing Aid will not restore your normal hearing. With practice, however, a Hearing Aid will increase your awareness of sounds and their sources. You will want to wear your Hearing Aid regularly, so select a Hearing Aid that is convenient and easy for you to use.

Other features to consider include parts or services covered by the Hearing Aid warranty, estimated schedule and costs for maintenance and repair, options and upgrade opportunities, and the Hearing Aid company's reputation for quality and customer service.

Labels: ,

Causes of hearing loss

• posted on  18:51
Hearing loss can be the result of damage to any one of the following sections.

Causes in the outer ear

Typical problems with the outer ear (A) include ear wax plugs and infections of the auditory canal. Usually, addressing these problems is very easy. However it is important to act quickly in order to avoid hearing damage.

Causes in the middle ear

Inflammation, fluid behind the eardrum, perforations of the eardrum and otosclerosis (a stiffening of the bones in the middle ear) are the most common problems to interfere with middle ear (B) function.

Most outer and middle ear problems can be addressed effectively with medication or surgery. If this is not possible, permanent hearing loss can be compensated with a hearing aid in most cases.

Causes in the inner ear

The majority of hearing issues concern the inner ear (C). The most common cause is the natural aging process. But loud noise, taking some types of medication, and skull fractures can also have a negative influence on a person's hearing ability.

These influences damage the fine hair cells and affect the transmission of signals to the auditory nerves. Usually, inner ear hearing loss cannot be addressed medically. However, this type of hearing loss can be corrected with a hearing aid in most cases.

Damage to the inner ear, is called sensorineural hearing loss. Hearing loss caused by an outer or middle ear defect is called conductive hearing loss. If both types occur together, the condition is called mixed hearing loss.

Labels: ,