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"It was very frustrating not to be able to hear. I felt I needed some help."
-Frances C.
Cockeysville, Maryland
YOU ARE NOT ALONE. ONE IN TEN AMERICANS HAS A HEARING LOSS
Thousands of us, people of all ages, wear hearing aids. They help us to hear and keep us tuned in to life. We vividly remember how difficult it was to make up our minds to get help when we suspected we were losing our hearing. Some of us waited too long and became dependent on our spouses or strained our relationships by constantly asking for sentences to be repeated or by arguing over how loud we turned up the TV.
It's easy to be confused about hearing loss - whether or not you need help. Sometimes, you hear fine. Other times, not so well.
Help is available.
We are glad that you clicked on this web page. If our experiences help you to get the help you need, then we will have succeeded.
GETTING YOUR HEARING TESTED
"It may not be anything serious, but you'll never know until you look into it."
-Victor S.
Baltimore, Maryland
Your first reaction may be to go see your family doctor. That's what many of us did. The primary care physician can perform a basic examination to determine if there are any conditions causing your hearing loss that can be treated, such as wax in the ear canals or fluid in the middle ear. The doctor may then refer you to an ear specialist for further evaluation.
If you are told by anyone that you have "nerve deafness," and there is nothing that can be done for you, seek another opinion - preferably from an audiologist and/or physician who has expertise and experience in testing people with hearing loss.
Many of us who wear hearing aids have sensorineural hearing loss (nerve deafness), the most common cause of progressive hearing loss. A hearing aid will not cure hearing loss. But, as our experiences have shown, a hearing aid can help you hear better.
Ear Specialist (Ear, Nose and Throat Physician - Otolaryngogist, Otologist)
Otolaryngology (pronounced oh/toe/lair/in/goll/oh/jee) is the oldest medical specialty in the United States. Otolaryngologists are physicians trained in the medical and surgical management and treatment of patients with diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, throat (ENT), and related structures of the head and neck. They are commonly referred to as ENT physicians.
Their special skills include diagnosing and managing diseases of the sinuses, larynx (voice box), oral cavity, and upper pharynx (mouth and throat), as well as structures of the neck and face. Otolaryngologists diagnose, treat, and manage specialty-specific disorders as well as many primary care problems in both children and adults.
Some people go directly to an ear specialist for a more detailed examination of their ears and hearing. This is important to be sure your hearing loss is not caused by a condition that can be treated by medical or surgical means. The ear specialist should then refer you to an audiologist for a complete hearing evaluation.
Call the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Hear and Neck Surgery, Inc., at (703) 836-4444 for ear specialists in your area. or visit the AAO- HNS website at http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/about/otolaryngologist.cfm
Some people go directly to an audiologist. Audiologists are highly educated and trained health care professionals qualified to do a through evaluation of your hearing. The audiologist can determine the type and degree of hearing loss and whether or not you can be helped by a hearing aid (or aids); and if so, what type of hearing aid would be best for you. Based on the results of a professional evaluation, the audiologist may recommend a medical evaluation.
Check to see if the audiologist's title includes the letters CCC-A (Certificate of Clinical Competence - Audiology). This indicates certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). They may also have state licensure which is a license to practice in a specific state.
Call ASHA toll-free at (800) 638-8255, or the American Academy of Audiology at (800) AAA-2336, for audiologists in you area.
GETTING A HEARING AID
"I got by most of my life without a hearing aid. But, I have to admit, once I got one, it opened up a whole new world for me."
-Harold J.
Napa, California
With an appropriate evaluation completed, the process of purchasing and fitting your hearing aid can begin. The audiologist who evaluated your hearing may dispense hearing aids, or can refer you to one who does. Or you can go to a hearing aid specialist (also called hearing aid dealer.) Hearing aid specialists do not have post-graduate degrees in audiology and, therefore, do not provide diagnostic audiological services. However, they do have practical experience in the fitting and selection of hearing aids.
If you live in a rural area, the hearing aid specialist may be the only hearing health professional available. Hearing aid specialists must be licensed or registered in all states, except Colorado and Massachusetts. Check to see that he or she is certified by the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences (BC-HIS).
Call the International Hearing Society's (IHS) toll-free Hearing Aid Helpline at (800) 521-5247 for hearing aid specialists in your area.
SELECTING A DISPENSER
"You don't quite know it yourself. You don't realize it. I began to notice little things - I had trouble following conversations and hearing the television. Finally, I got some help."
-Frances S.
North Ridgefield, Ohio
As used here, the term dispenser applies to ear specialists, audiologists, and hearing aid specialists who fit and sell hearing aids. Whomever you choose, make sure that you have confidence and trust in them. They should spend time to help you find the right hearing aid, and schedule several visits to work with you for adjustments and in teaching you how to use and maintain your hearing aid. They should be available to provide warranty or out-of-warranty service for the life of the aid.
 Find out what program they have in place to teach you to use the aid and to communicate most effectively.
Make sure the dispenser gives at least a 30-day trial period (this is the law in some states). This gives you time to "test drive" the aid, just as you would when buying a new car.
Check, beforehand, which fees are nonrefundable should you need to return the aid. Typically, costs for testing, custom-fit parts, and/or earmolds, are nonrefundable.
Does the dispenser provide repair services? Is a loaner available should your aid need repair?
Select a dispenser who offers different types of hearing aids - behind-the-ear, in-the-ear, and in-the canal styles.
Make sure the dispenser takes time to ask about your listening needs in detail.
Don't be pressured into purchasing an aid. Seek a second opinion if you want more information or want to compare prices.
PURCHASING THE RIGHT HEARING AID FOR YOU
"It was the most thrilling moment of my life, to hear all sorts of things I haven't heard in a long time. It's like the difference between night and day."
-Roberta Y.
Muskegon, Michigan
You are thinking of buying a hearing aid. Which one should you get? Which is the best hearing aid on the market?
There are many manufacturers making hearing aids in a wide variety of models. There is no "best" hearing aid. Only the right one for you. The selection of a hearing aid depends on your degree of hearing loss, listening needs, dexterity, and your financial situation. Just because someone you know likes a particular hearing aid, it may not be the best one for you.
In choosing a hearing aid, consider its potential usefulness rather than its cosmetic appeal. Many people want the smallest aid available. They are embarrassed to have the aids show. But smaller is not necessarily better. A small aid may not have the power or the features that you need to get the best results. So don't short-change yourself. Be open to trying several styles of aids to see what differences they make.
Ask about various options available in the hearing aid, such as a telecoil. For a small, additional cost, the telecoil enhances telephone use and allows you to use assistive listening systems in theaters, meetings, etc.
Hearing aids vary greatly in cost, from $500 to $1,500 or more. The cost is not covered by Medicare and few insurance plans cover them, though medical and audiological evaluations may be covered. If you need a hearing aid but cannot afford one, there are resources available to help you, such as local civic organizations like the Lions Club and Sertoma International.
A nonprofit organization, HEAR NOW, may also help. Call HEAR NOW toll-free at (800) 648-HEAR.
If you are unable to travel to a dispenser's office, "at-home testing may be available, but tests using portable equipment may not be a s comprehensive or accurate as those conducted in a permanent testing environment.
When you purchase your hearing aid, be sure to get a purchase agreement or contract containing all terms of the transaction in writing. It there a written warranty? Is the warranty honored by the manufacturer, the dispenser, or both?
Properly selected, properly fitted, and properly used with follow-up care, a hearing aid is a positive start to dealing with your hearing loss. These initial steps of coming to terms with not hearing well and getting a hearing aid need not be overwhelming. Many successful hearing aid users will tell you that a hearing aid has brought them out of isolation and greatly increased their independence and quality of life.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A HEARING AID
"It's so much better to have that full range of hearing. It makes all the difference to me."
-Juanita F.
Baltimore, Maryland
Hearing aids will not correct hearing like glasses correct vision, nor will a hearing aid restore normal hearing. But, a hearing aid will help you get the maximum hearing possible.
These are some of the things we have noticed since we started to use a hearing aid:
We don't have to ask people to repeat whet they say as often.
We hear better on the telephone.
We hear familiar sounds again like the refrigerator going on and off, the rain, our footsteps.
We hear TV better.
Noisy situations are still hard, but not impossible for us to handle.
LEARNING TO USE A HEARING AID
"I've tried as many as four different models of hearing aids before settling on one. You have to give yourself time to adjust."
-Carol G.
New Egypt, New Jersey
Adjusting to a hearing aid takes time, determination, and patience. But, a hearing loss is more conspicuous than a hearing aid. Learning to use hearing aids is a process. Don't expect to buy the aid, put it in your ear, and walk out of the dispenser's office cured. Successful hearing aid use will take patience and education. Working with your dispenser, you will see gradual, increasing benefits.
Don't give up too quickly. Since part of you doesn't want to wear the aids anyway, it's easy to put them away in the drawer at the first frustrating experience. Make full use of the trial period and give hearing aids a serious and sincere try.
Here's some advice from successful hearing aid users:
· Use positive thinking to welcome the new sounds you are starting to hear again rather than resisting them.
· Ask your dispenser how long to wear your aid in the beginning.
· If you are having problems, no matter how small, go back to your dispenser. The hearing aid may need only a simple adjustment.
· If you don't like what you are hearing, don't be afraid to discuss your reactions with the dispenser.
AURAL REHABILITATION
"Having contact with people through hearing is important. I do this with two hearing aids, lipreading and speechreading - interpreting what is said through body gestures."
-Olga S.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Hearing aids help you hear, particularly in one-on-one conversations, but you need to learn other strategies and coping skills to get the most out of your hearing. You can learn these skills in an aural rehabilitation program.
Aural rehabilitation will help you understand your hearing loss and the ways in which it affects commun8ication. It helps you make the most of whatever hearing you still have. You'll become very good at reading body language as you acquire and build your skills in speechreading. Aural rehabilitation will also help you learn about and use assistive devices. The program should be customized to meet your needs.
If your dispenser
does not offer an aural rehabilitation program, ask
him or her to help you find one. Support groups such
as the Hearing Loss Association of America,
Inc. can also be part of an aural rehabilitation program.
Meeting other people
who wear hearing aids helps you realize you are not
alone. Peer support helps you learn new ways to manage
your hearing loss. In 250 HLAA local chapters and groups
across the country, people meet monthly to learn from
each other how to deal with their hearing loss and
how to become "smart" hearing aid users.
For more information, contact:
Hearing
Loss Association of America
7910 Woodmont Avenue
Suite 1200
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 657-2248 Voice
(301) 657-2249 TTY.
Email: info@hlaa.org
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