Who doesn’t enjoy finding a good bargain? But when it involves your health, be careful what you purchase and keep your eye on the little details.
We know, it’s confusing, the names are very similar, but hearing aids and hearing amplifiers are not equivalent. And making the wrong choice could have important ramifications for your hearing and your overall health.
Hearing amplifiers
A small device that goes in your ear, a hearing amplifier raises the volume of outside sound. Technically categorized as personal sound amplification products by the government, these gadgets tend to be very simple and one-dimensional. The volume of the world is essentially cranked up.
Because of their one-size-fits-all approach, hearing amplifiers are not recommended for individuals who have moderate to extensive hearing loss.
Distinct difference between hearing aids and personal amplifiers
It starts to become pretty obvious that hearing aids are not the same as hearing amplification devices when you recognize that amplifiers are not recommended for people with even moderate hearing loss. Hearing aids, obviously, are recommended for those who suffer from hearing loss.
Both hearing aids and hearing amplifiers have the ability to increase volumes. The primary difference between the two devices is how sophisticated that amplification is.
- Whatever environment you find yourself, your hearing aids can tune in to it. There are a number of factors that will determine the specific acoustics of a space. Some hearing aids can fine tune to these changes automatically. Other models can be calibrated using a smartphone or a dedicated device. You will avoid fewer places because you will be capable of hearing better in a wider variety of places as your hearing aids make little adjustments.
- Hearing aids are specifically manufactured to help you process speech. In part, that’s the result of the uneven way hearing loss develops, but it’s also because communication is such an essential function of your hearing. So this function has been prioritized by hearing aid manufacturers who have put significant resources into improving it. There are sophisticated algorithms and processes working inside of hearing aids to ensure that, even in a crowded and noisy room, voices come through loud and clear.
- Hearing aids are designed to select and magnify specific frequencies of sound. Because hearing loss frequently advances wavelength by wavelength. Frequencies at the higher and lower end of the spectrum are usually the first to go. Hearing aids work to fill in the holes in your hearing rather than just making everything louder. For people who have hearing loss, this selective approach is more effective.
Simply put, these capabilities are vital elements of properly treating hearing loss. And these are attributes that are not present in the majority of personal hearing amplifiers.
Finding the best solution at an affordable price
Neglected hearing loss can cause cognitive decline, not to mention increasingly diminished hearing abilities. With amplifiers, you’re likely to do more harm to your hearing as the device doesn’t distinguish frequencies and will most likely turn everything up to unsafe levels. And who needs to do that?
Unless your hearing loss is from earwax, hearing aids and certain surgeries are the only authorized treatments for hearing loss at this time. You won’t save any money in the long run by neglecting to get treatment for your hearing loss. Overall healthcare costs have been found to increase by more than 40% with neglected hearing loss. The good news is, there are affordable options. Just ask us.
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References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373077