HearFlorida Audiology Group » hearing instruments

Why Does Your Hearing Aid Only Last About 4.5 Years?

admin — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:07:36 +0000

You should be wearing your hearing aid(s) at least eight hours per day or 2,800 hours per year. Even if you clean your hearing aid every day with a soft toothbrush and visit your hearing healthcare professional twice a year for specialized cleanings, your hearing aid will eventually break down. Repair costs could be as high as $350. A hearing aid may stop working because of (1) wax and debris in the receiver, (2) damaged microphone or amplifier, (3) worn out battery contacts, (4) dead battery, (5) moisture, or (6) abuse. The daily wear and tear will erode the hearing aid components and they may need replacement. After four or five years of daily hearing aid use (10,000 hours), it may be time replace your hearing instrument with a more advanced system.

HearFlorida recommends that you consider replacing your hearing instrument if it is greater than four years old, particularly if you have put money into repairing it. Just like an older car that needs repair, it is never quite the same once the mechanic says, “It is fixed.” With the speed of the introduction of new technology, at this time you will be two generations behind in the latest advancements. Most people notice tremendous improvements in hearing ability with advancements in technology.

Trust Your Hearing Aid Professional

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:08:39 +0000

As you search for better hearing, the best referral to a hearing professional is word-of-mouth from a friend or family member. Whether you choose an audiologist or hearing aid dispenser, you are buying more than a product! It is important to inquire about the services your hearing professional offers in addition to the make/model of the hearing instrument. For example, how many follow-up visits are scheduled per year at no charge? Does my warranty include loss? What percentage of hearing aid problems can be fixed in-office? Do I receive a supply of batteries? Does the hearing professional offer home visits? Does the hearing professional offer a reasonable trial period? Make absolutely sure that the hearing professional offers a trial period and make sure it is in writing. The FDA “strongly recommends” a trial, but it’s not a law!

It is important that you get to know your hearing professional because if he/she treats you right, you will be a long lasting patient.

In summary, your hearing professional needs to earn your trust. Make sure that they prove their worth by providing 100 percent quality service. In certain instances, it may be worth taking a drive into the next town for the hearing professional who is honest and qualified.

Does Your Ear Hurt?

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:44:13 +0000

Comfort is very important when wearing your hearing aid(s). Discomfort occurs 10 percent of the time and usually happens when trying to remove your hearing instrument from your ear. In most cases, in-the-ear hearing aids (ITEs) and ear molds for behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTEs) can create a sore ear (usually towards the top of the aid or ear mold). When this happens, do not continue to wear the instrument. It’s not like breaking in a new pair of shoes! The next step is to contact your hearing health-care professional who can assess the problem. The majority of problems occur due to a “tight fit” and can be resolved by either grinding the mold/aid or remaking the entire hearing instrument or ear mold. Most hearing healthcare professionals can eliminate the problem by grinding and then buffing the problem area. You will be advised to wear the hearing instrument to “test drive” the modification. If this is unsuccessful, you should return to the office and have the aid and/or ear mold remade by the manufacturer. Remind the audiologist/dispenser to mark the area of soreness with a black marker to further reduce the risk of soreness reoccurring. Remember, if your ear hurts don’t try to get use to it. You have invested a lot of time and money towards better hearing. Contact your hearing health-care professional immediately who will fix the problem.

You Should Be Hearing Better On The Telephone!

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:03:52 +0000

Many of my patients have a built-in telephone coil (T-switch) on their hearing instrument(s). A T-switch is ordered with your new hearing aid for your telephone ear. Unfortunately, due to space limitations in smaller canal aids or poor dexterity reported by the patient, t-coils cannot be ordered for everybody. In many cases, telephone hearing-impaired amplifiers provide sufficient amplification to carry on a normal conversation with family or friends. Some of my patients have severely profound losses and may not even hear the telephone. Under these circumstances, you should purchase “alerting devices” to let you know when the phone is ringing or whether there is someone at your door.

For most of you, just wearing a hearing aid is only part of the listening solution. The most recent advances in hearing technology incorporate the use of Bluetooth Technology. It enables the hearing aid user to directly connect with cell phones, home telephones, televisions and much more. It been the BIGGEST breakthrough in bridging the gap between hearing impaired users and communication and media devices.