McGuire's Featured in Suffolk Time's Article on Hearing Health

The December 3rd edition of the Suffolk Times included an article by Rachel Young ("Don't take your hearing for granted") that featured McGuire's Owner and Help America Hear founder David Carr. Click here to read the article.

Most People Do Not Listen with the Intent to Understand

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” I read this quote from Steven Covey recently on Facebook. He’s the author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It caught my attention and has stayed in my mind for a few weeks. This quote resonates with me for two different yet related reasons.

First, I believe that we clinicians – your professionals, must bear this in mind at all times. Every patient is unique and has a story to tell. It is our job to truly listen to your story, and respond with a treatment plan that is tailored to your hearing ability and your preferences and needs. So, even though we may have a “checklist” of questions we will want to cover, ultimately we need to take our time, sit back, and hear your story. This is how we can help you best, and we are committed to actively listening to each patient who seeks our help.

Second, listening through a hearing loss, even with the help of excellent hearing technology, is an active process. I’ve noticed that sometimes my patients seem to rush ahead to respond to conversation, not allowing enough time to process the words. But perhaps, slower listening would result in more accurate hearing, as well as more responsive and thoughtful give and take.

Mr. Covey said that communication is the most important skill in life. We are taught to read, write, and speak. But what about listening? We are less educated in listening to truly, deeply understand another human being.

Mr. Covey explained that most people seek first to be understood, to get our point across. We may ignore the other person, pretend to be listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation or attentively focus on only the words being said, but miss the meaning. What is happening here? According to Mr. Covey, most people listen with the intent to reply, not to understand. We have an internal dialogue as we prepare what we are going to say next. We filter what we hear through our own life experiences. So, we may decide prematurely what the other person means before he/she finishes communicating.

I think all of us – with normal hearing or not, can benefit from slower, more intentional and active listening. The result will be not just more accurate hearing, but truer communication.

A Hearing Loop Can Help You Hear at Public Places

When placed at entrances, the sign informs people that the venue is looped. Logo courtesy of  http://www.hearingloop.org/logo.htm

If you have difficulty hearing as well as you’d like in various public venues, you will probably benefit from hearing loops. More and more auditoriums, train stations, sports stadiums, museums, and concert halls offer this easy-to-use technology.

To use a hearing loop, you turn on the t-switch on your hearing aid or cochlear implant to activate the telecoil. If your hearing aid doesn't have a telecoil, you will need a headset plugged into a loop receiver to achieve the same effect.

A hearing loop is a wire that encircles the room and is connected to a sound system. The loop transmits the sound electromagnetically. The electromagnetic signal is then picked up by the telecoil in the hearing aid or cochlear implant.

Using a telecoil and hearing loop together is seamless, cost-effective, unobtrusive, and you usually don't need any additional equipment.

Long Islanders: we have just learned that a hearing loop is now available in the auditorium at Huntington Town Hall. This is the first Town Hall to have a hearing loop installed in Suffolk County, New York. This loop was installed to meet the needs of residents who have experienced difficulty hearing at events that take place in the auditorium.

Check out this website for an up-to-date list of facilities in the metro area that are “looped” – keep your eye out for the logo of an ear with audio waves. Remember, it may be necessary to ask your audiologist or hearing instrument dispenser to activate your telecoil to access help from a hearing loop.

Our Senses Connect Us to Our World

What sounds are you thankful to hear?

As Thanksgiving approaches, gratitude is on my mind. Our senses connect us to our world, and also remind us of past experiences. One sense connects to the next…the sound of sizzling bacon together with its aroma is a mouth-watering sensation. Take a few minutes to imagine your favorite sounds.

I love when my patients who are new to hearing aids are aware of sounds previously unheard. Often the first, in my office, is: I can hear the secretaries in the waiting room! (yes, I can too – that’s a good thing.)

Here are some sounds that come back into the “soundscape” when audibility is enhanced:

• Ice cubes cracking in a drink
• Toaster oven clicking off
• Patter of rain on the window
• Children laughing in pure joy
• Crackling fire
• “thwonk” of a well-placed tennis ball
• Tinkling of teaspoon stirring coffee
• Crunch of crisp apple
• Wind chimes in a light breeze
• A cello solo
• Crunching footsteps on fresh snow
• Baby’s first babbling
• Waves breaking rhythmically on the beach
• Choir singing a joyful song
• Birds chirping in early spring dawn
• Far away train
• Leaves rustling in the wind
• Applause

We are told to stop and smell the roses. True! I am so grateful for all our senses! Take a few minutes today to listen, look, smell, touch and taste. What sounds are you thankful to hear?

Calling All Grandchildren!

Hearing aid technology has made phenomenal advances, and is highly interactive with the soundscape so that the listener has a better chance than ever to hear well and comfortably. And yet, hearing aids are only part of the prescription for better hearing. Good listening strategies and strong, kind family support are as important as ever.

If you are lucky enough to have grandchildren in your family scene, you have a built-in resource to help in the adjustment to hearing aids. I say this on the basis of years of observations of the families I see in my practice.

Children are, by nature, proactive, matter-of-fact, curious, intuitive, and quick to “get it.”

Here are a few tips on how the young ones in your family can facilitate good benefit from amplification:

• Learning to actively listen is essential. Let your little ones read a book or tell a story. When we really want to hear, we put extra effort into listening.
• Kids like to get close. Remind them that it’s easiest to listen when face-to-face.
• Children are endlessly curious. It’s OK to ask questions: Why do you have trouble hearing? What happened to your ears? How do our ears work? Do the hearing aids help? It’s a great opportunity to educate your children, and at the same time clarify the very same questions the adults may also be thinking about.
• Changes in hearing often come with aging, but older people do not need to struggle with hearing impairment. Hearing aids and good listening strategies can make it much easier to listen.
• Motivation is so important to maximize hearing aid benefit. Often children’s voices are especially difficult for hearing impaired people to hear because they are soft and a bit treble. So these young precious voices are just the ones that will benefit from being amplified. This is an opportunity for the hearing aid benefit to shine.
• If you don’t hear the child, don’t pretend you did. Children are straightforward. You can say: My ears didn’t hear you – please tell me again.
• Kids can be your best “hearing ally.” In the words of one of my patients, if she’s observed to be missing things, her grandchild says: Grandma, do you have your ears on? If it’s the grandchild who asks, it is never nagging!

As a grandparent myself, I am so aware that communication with my young grandchildren is a joy beyond words. Harness this energy - it’s beneficial to both grandparents and grandkids.

Removing the Hurdles to Getting Hearing Aids

Jane Brody, Health and Science write for The New York Times, published her second article about seeking treatment for hearing loss.  Read Article

Among the points she made were:

Be sure to discuss options (style, technology, cost) with your audiologist that best match your requirements.  Hearing aids are not one-size-fits-all, and there may be a variety of options for your preferences and hearing needs.

Fine-tuning hearing aids may take a few visits.  Work with your audiologist.  Communicate where you are seeing improvements, and where you hope for better results.  While hearing aids do not restore normal hearing, with patient, careful, expert programming, they can be tweaked to provide you with the most comfortable hearing possible.

Practice!  Benefiting from amplification not only requires adjustments by your audiologist but learning to make good use of the sounds by the listener.  Be patient, this may take a little time.  It is well worth the effort.

Hearing Loss Costs Far More Than Ability to Hear

Last month we posted an article about how hearing ability and general health are very much interrelated. So, I was delighted this week to read Jane Brody’s Personal Health column in the New York Times on the same topic.  

Ms. Brody is a highly esteemed Science writer for the Times, and this article is the first of two being published on hearing loss. Generally she writes about a different health topic each week in Tuesday’s science section, but she recognizes that this topic is so important it warrants a two articles!  

Click Here to read Jane Brody’s column:

It’s not just people with hearing loss that have a tough time enjoying conversation in noisy restaurants.

Certainly, folks who don’t hear well have an especially difficult time hearing conversation when the sound level is high, but even those with perfect hearing find it a strain to hear and be heard when the acoustic environment is noisy and reverberant.

The tide may be turning.  In the past, it seemed to be a badge of “cool” for a restaurant to have a sonic pandemonium that spilled out into the street.  But, as reported this week in the New York Times, restaurant architects are listening to customers’ requests, and with their greater understanding of acoustics, are creating listening environments that allow conversation to take place more comfortably.

They are creating the soundscape that they want.  They have found that if the sounds are too muffled, then every spoon clink may be a distraction.  But, as is more often the case, if the sounds are amplified by lots of hard reflective surfaces, then comfortable conversation is impossible.

Restaurant designers have become more precise and scientific, working to create areas of talk at each table without losing the sound sensation of activity that makes to room feel alive.  There needs to be a balance of soft and hard components, and the right mix of bass and treble.

One New York architect describes it like this:  “You want to amplify the good noise and reduce the bad noise.”  He describes bad noise as the tinny high-pitched squall that moves through the restaurant.  Good noise is not just the audible conversation at each table, but the pulse of excitement from the front and back of the room.  Conversation should be easily audible but there can still be a “buzz.”  The idea is to make it a really comfortable acoustic environment.

How is this goal attained?  In a variety of very high-tech and very low-tech ways – ranging from combining specific sound absorbing materials in strategic places with visually pleasing but more reflective materials, to sound systems that place tiny microphones and speakers throughout the restaurant with software that then controls the noise levels, to instructing the staff not to clink the forks when placing them on the table.

So – if you have a hearing loss, live with someone who does, or, just are tired of yelling during your dinner date, choose a restaurant that has been thoughtfully designed.

Balance in Older Adults May Improve with Hearing Aid Use

A small study published in the well-respected journal Laryngoscope suggests that older people with hearing loss may have better balance when they use their hearing aids.  This supports the idea that treating hearing loss may help decrease the risk of falls.

In this study 14 adults (aged 65 and up) were given standard balance tests both with and without their hearing aids on. Patients performed better on the balance tests with their hearing aids on.  This is the first study to demonstrate that sound information contributes to maintaining the body’s stability, and suggests that use of amplification may reduce the risks of falls in older people.

Lead researcher Dr. Timothy Hullar believes that not only do the hearing aids increase alertness, but the participants were using the sounds coming through their hearing aids as auditory landmarks to help maintain balance.
 

Judy Rasin

We know that people sway more when they try to balance in a darkened room. Our eyes help to orient us in space. The more information we take in through our hearing and vision senses, the better able we are to keep balanced.

Dr. Hullar notes that the results are statistically significant even though there were not many people in the study.  He plans to replicate the study with a larger group of people. Meanwhile, we think these results are exciting. Reducing the risk of falls while at the same time enhancing communication ability is a win-win benefit. 

Judy Rasin is a licensed New York State Audiologist and hearing aid dispenser at The Hearing Center at Pelham. You can contact Judy at (718) 822-4100 or visit their website

How Does the Brain Respond to Hearing Loss?

Did you know that our brains are continually reorganizing themselves?  Our brains grow and prune their connections as a result of our experiences.  This is called neuroplasticity.

Sometimes this is helpful – about 15 years ago researchers in England found that taxi drivers, who are required to memorize the entire street map of London, actually expanded their hippocampus – a part of the brain involved with memory.

Recently, researchers at the University of Colorado have found that the brain areas devoted to hearing can become reorganized – reassigned to other functions - with even mild hearing loss.  They discovered that areas in the brain that process visual information can take over brain areas which normally process sound.

So, if there is a decrease of stimulation coming in through the ears, the corresponding brain areas that process sound may be “reassigned” to handle stimulation coming in through the eyes.  This is called “cross-modal” cortical reorganization and reflects how the brain actively responds to changes in the environment.

Judy Rasin

The group's work suggests that the portion of the brain used for hearing can become reorganized, even in earliest stages of age-related hearing loss.  These compensatory changes increase the overall workload on the brains of aging adults.

"One in three adults over the age of 60 has age-related hearing loss," researcher Anu Sharma noted. "Given that even small degrees of hearing loss can cause secondary changes in the brain, hearing screenings for adults and intervention in the form of hearing aids should be considered much earlier to protect against reorganization of the brain."

Further studies will be needed to determine if use of hearing aids will prevent cortical reorganization.  Stay tuned!  But it is logical to think that if the auditory parts of the brain continue to receive lots of sound stimulation, the corresponding brain areas will keep active as well.  Use it, so you don’t lose it!

Judy Rasin is a licensed New York State Audiologist and hearing aid dispenser at The Hearing Center at Pelham. You can contact Judy at (718) 822-4100 or visit their website .

Overall health and hearing health go hand-in-hand in many ways.

Your hearing health is closely tied to your overall health in the following ways:

• Several studies point to a significant correlation between hearing loss and loss of cognitive function.
• Adults with hearing loss have a higher rate of moderate to severe depression.
• Smokers have a 70% higher risk of having hearing loss than non-smokers.
• Higher body mass index and larger waist circumferences are associated with increased risk of hearing loss in women.
• Maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active may reduce the risk of hearing loss.
• Hearing loss is twice as common in people with diabetes compared to non-diabetics.

We don’t know whether these are “cause and effect” relationships, but we are realizing more and more that hearing loss does not happen in isolation.   Your ears are part of your total wellness program!

Let’s look at diet:

Hearing may be affected by many things.  
Researchers at the University of Florida have found a link between healthy eating and hearing.   According to Dr. Christopher Spankowich “Our hearing health is linked to our general health.  Our auditory system is dependent on our cardiovascular, neural and metabolic health, and if we are not healthy in general, it makes sense that we could increase our susceptibility to hearing loss.”

In this study, a healthy diet meant that the person who scored well on the Healthy Eating Index ate close to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recommendations – plenty of vegetables, fruit, and fiber, but not too much salt, cholesterol, and fat.

Some are out of our control: sex, genetics, ethnicity and age.  But we can be mindful of the controllable factors such as cardiovascular health, diet, noise exposure and ototoxic medications.

This study indicates a connection, but we do not yet know if there is a causal link.  Meanwhile, it’s a good idea to view healthy hearing as a part of a total wellness program.

The role of exercise...keep moving!

68,000 women were followed in the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study.  They were questioned about health and daily habits.  1 in 6 women had some hearing loss.  They found that women with higher body mass indexes and larger waist circumferences were at greater risk for hearing loss.  But – the good news is that more physical activity was associated with lower risk of hearing loss.  Marathons not required!  For women who walked more than 4 hours a week, their risk of hearing loss dropped by about 15%.

Why this connection?

We don’t know for sure.  The ear is metabolically active.  It needs good blood supply to function at its best. Obesity narrows blood vessels, which can lead to high blood pressure, hampering blood flow and perhaps depriving the cochlea (the part of the inner ear where the sensory cells meet the nerve endings that send information to the brain) of optimal nourishment.

If you have concerns about weight-related health issues such as hypertension, diabetes, or arthritis, it is a good idea to schedule a full professional hearing evaluation.  Healthy habits can improve your overall quality of life, and your hearing health as well.

Your hearing and brain power… new connections are coming to light.

Hearing loss is so common that some people think of it as an expected part of aging, and “no big deal.”

But studies from John Hopkins University are finding links between hearing loss and cognition, including memory, attention, and concentration.  Some brilliant research has been conducted by Dr. Frank Lin, an otologist and epidemiologist at Hopkins.  Dr. Lin says that hearing loss should not be considered a normal part of aging.

In one study Dr. Lin found that adults with hearing loss at the beginning of the study were more to have cognitive decline than adults with normal hearing.  Another study indicated that there were brain changes in people with hearing loss not seen in people with normal hearing.  Hearing loss was also associated with increased risk of falls, stress, and depression.

Dr. Lin’s findings are supported by other neuroscientists, who are also finding that people with hearing loss develop cognitive decline at a higher rate.  “His research has been fantastic,” said another researcher. “It’s energized our field and brought this issue to the forefront.  He’s a real pioneer in this area.”

Next step for the researchers is to figure out the chicken-and-egg questions of what causes what.  And perhaps the biggest question is whether treating hearing loss with appropriate amplification helps to keep the brain functioning well.

Meanwhile, stay on top of your hearing health.  Get a baseline test so you know where you stand.  We will do our best to inform you, answer your questions, and keep you proactive in your wellness program. For more information on testing visit our website.

Talking with a Loved One About Hearing Loss

by Judy Rasin

Hearing loss is a family affair.  

When someone has difficulty hearing it is not their problem alone - the entire family is affected.  The need for repetition interrupts the flow of communication and may be a source of frustration for all.  Watching a loved one withdraw from conversations and enjoyable activities is heartbreaking.  You can make a difference for your loved one.

Convincing your loved one to seek professional help may take a bit of courage!  It is the right thing to do, yet it may not be easy.  Hearing loss often comes on so gradually that the person with the loss is the last to be aware there is a problem.

A spouse with the best of intentions may become the “ears” for the person who is not hearing well.  While this is surely helpful in the moment it may prevent the person from realizing how much communication they are missing or mis-hearing.

Here are some things you can do to get the conversation going:
Talk to your loved one about their hearing concerns.

• Raise their awareness by pointing out when you “translate” for them.

• Suggest a visit to an audiologist to get a professional evaluation and gather information.  Offer to schedule an appointment and join them at the consultation.  There is nothing to lose and may be a great deal to gain.

Your suggestions may be met with some push-back.  Don’t be surprised – we often hold on to our preconceived ideas.  Unlike vision, when hearing loss develops people are not as quick to address it.  Many wait years before seeking treatment.

Your loved one may think that if he had a real hearing loss his family doctor would have diagnosed it.  But, fewer than 20% of doctors routinely screen for hearing loss.  A one-to-one talk in the doctor’s office may not point up the difficulties that a slightly more challenging conversation in a little background noise would, so the physician may not notice real-world hearing difficulties.

Some people are concerned about how hearing aids look.  Today’s hearing aids are sleek and “tech-y.”  They are the tools to get the job done.  And, remember hearing aids are less noticeable than mis-hearing conversation and responding inappropriately.

Some folks say that a little hearing loss is not so bad – “I’ll wait till it gets worse.”  But we have learned that even mild hearing loss leads to effortful listening, stress, social isolation, and even reduced earning power.  Acclimatization to hearing aids is easy – especially with family support, motivation, and a little patience.

Share in your loved one’s hearing care.  Hearing wellness involves the whole family.  There are so many ways in which we can help you on this journey.

Judy Rasin is a licensed New York State Audiologist and hearing aid dispenser at The Hearing Center at Pelham. You can contact Judy at (718) 822-4100 or visit their website. 

Daily Care of Your Hearing Aids is Very Important

Summer is here! Maintaining your hearing aids by daily care is important, especially in the summer months.  Warm weather brings increased heat and humidity. It’s not surprising that moisture can create problems for hearing aids.  With some extra TLC you can keep your hearing aids working well throughout the summer.

Here are a few tips to keep your hearing aids working well:

• Exposure to water, humidity and perspiration can harm your hearing aids.  Remember to take them out for the shower, pool or beach.

• At night open the battery compartment. This will increase the battery life and also allow the hearing aids to dry if they have picked up some moisture during the day.

• Store the batteries in a cool dry place. Batteries are affected by temperature extremes, so avoid the glove compartment in hot weather.

• Consider using a Dri-Aid kit or electric hearing aid drying box. 

• When applying sunscreen avoid clogging the openings on the hearing aids.

• If your hearing aids have “filters” change them on a regular basis.

• Be diligent about routine maintenance. When you remove the hearing aids at night, wipe them with a dry soft cloth.  

A little extra mindful care will assure you enjoy your hearing aids and the wonderful sounds of summer all season long.

Hearing aids require special care so that they function properly. Your audiologist can show you how to care for and check them regularly.

For Children with Hearing Loss, Listening can be Exhausting!

Listening takes lots of energy. Children with hearing loss may be extra tired at the end of a busy school day. Why is that? The job of understanding and processing the speech of parents, teachers and friends that’s been “filtered” through a hearing loss, especially in a noisy environments, requires a lot of work all through the day.

Hearing loss happens in the ears, but the real action is in the brain. The brain makes sense of the words picked up by the ears.

• Children are learning 24/7. Children with hearing loss should be fit as early as possible so they have access to all those sounds around them.

• A clear sound signal helps children learn.

• Having a hearing loss can be taxing – it takes hard work to listen.  The brain needs the best, clearest signal to understand what is being said.

• Hearing aids must be worn all the while the child is awake – at school and at home.  Having a clean comfortable signal provides relief – the child can relax and not work so hard to listen.

Remember, when a child has a hearing loss only part of the speech accurately reach the brain.  Noise is even more disruptive for children who have a hearing loss.  It takes extra work to follow speech when the brain has to guess and fill in the blanks. But new hearing aid technology, properly fit and used on a full-time basis, brings in a clean full speech signal for easier hearing and relaxed learning.

Click Here to learn more about pediatric hearing services.

Unsafe Use of Personal Audio Devices a Risk to Your Hearing

by Judy Rasin Au.D.

Judy Rasin Au.D.

When I was a child, I rode my bike without a helmet, and as a mom, I drove my toddlers without car seats.  Years ago I didn’t even use a seat belt!  I am not a risk-taker, but over the years we have learned how to be safer.  Things we didn’t even think about at the time seem like no-brainers to us now.

Many children and teens listen to music at sound levels high enough to damage their hearing.  Changing the listening habits of young people is urgent according to the World Health Organization. In fact, the WHO says that one billion people ages 12-35 are risking their ears with unsafe use of personal audio devices and exposure at concerts and bars.

Earbuds and headphones used at full volume (about 100 decibels) can damage hearing permanently.  Listening to levels below 85 dB is safe, even for long periods of time.  So to be safe, be sure to set the volume no more than 60% of the maximum.

Music at clubs and concert arenas can be unsafe.  Avoid being to near the speakers.  If you or your teens are going to be someplace where the music is likely to be loud, plan to protect your ears with appropriate noise protectors.  It’s important to be sure these are correctly inserted so they are effective.

At the Hearing Center we offer a range of custom ear protectors to ensure you hear safely and comfortably. These come in fun colors or clear, tailored to your needs, and individually fabricated just for you.


Judy Rasin is a licensed New York State Audiologist and hearing aid dispenser at The Hearing Center at Pelham. You can contact Judy at (718) 822-4100 or visit their website. 

Inner Ear Disorder Can Easily Be Treated

BPPV can easily be treated.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is the most common type of dizziness, and happily, the most easily treated. In many patients, it can be cured with a simple series of movements.

BPPV occurs when tiny crystals called otoconia become loosened from their normal location in the inner ear.   They are then free to flow in the semicircular canals, the part of the inner ear that senses movement of the head.

Patients with BPPV may experience dizziness or spinning when they turn over in bed, get in or out of bed, look up to a high shelf or put their head back in the shower. They may become unsteady when they arise. They may even experience nausea and other motion sickness like symptoms.

The onset of BPPV may be abrupt and scary. The usual course of the illness is a gradual improvement over weeks to months.  However, if properly diagnosed and treated, we often facilitate your recovery.

If you are having dizziness when you change position, ask your physician if a VNG is an appropriate part of your assessment.

If the VNG test indicates you have BPPV, an audiologist will guide you through a simple series of movements to return the loose crystals where they belong. The patient follows directions on simple movements, seated, and lying down, and then in a seated position once again. The activity is quick, painless and easy.

Not all patients with dizziness have BPPV. If you are having problems with dizziness, vertigo or balance, ask your physician if a VNG (videonystagmography) may be part of your dizziness workup. VNG is considered the "gold standard" test of inner ear balance function, and if you have BPPV, there's a good chance that a licensed audiologist can help you.

Hearing Aids VS. PSAPs - Do You Know the Difference?

Pardon the pun, but by now many of us have heard about PSAPs, or personal sound amplification products. These devices, which are being touted as the second coming in hearing aid advancement, are becoming evermore popular with their lower prices and ease of purchase over conventional hearing aids.

This popularity is understandable since they appear to offer some of the same advanced technology used in expensive hearing aids…and promise to give you super hearing for pennies on the dollar.

In truth, there is technology in them that enables these PSAPs to amplify sound, which, under certain conditions can be very effective. However, amplify is the key word here. That’s where the differences between PSAPs and actual hearing aids begin to show themselves.

While not being totally disingenuous, companies selling these PSAPs are not completely forthcoming either. What they don’t tell you is that, these are not hearing aids. These are instruments designed for people with no hearing issues. That’s right. If you have low to moderate hearing loss or above, these OTCs (over the counter) products do nothing to address those issues in any clinical manner.

In fact, many fall quite short when it comes to performing even as advertised. Moreover, these are one-size fits all sound amplifiers with volume control and in some instances, noise filters.

What’s Wrong With That as Long as it Makes it Louder?

Nothing, if all you need is more volume. However, many people with a hearing impairment need more than just an instrument that cranks up the volume. One example, depending on your degree of hearing loss, is being unable to discern words, which is a common source of frustration. If words sound foggy or like a wall of sound, turning up the volume is only going to get you a louder wall.

It is Best to Consult a Professional

A professional Audiologist is familiar with all types and degrees of hearing loss. They are trained to know what to look for, to recognize the degree of hearing loss you may suffer (if any) and how best to address any issues moving forward.

Today’s hearing aids are technologically advanced and can be fine-tuned to maximize your ability to hear with the proper volume and clarity, while targeting your specific areas of need. You just can’t get that from an amplifier.

When it comes to your hearing, don’t take chances with a device you can pick up off a convenient store counter. Seek out a professional for proper evaluation and treatment.