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Picture of green piggy bank representing affordable hearing aids and a good deal.

We all enjoy a good bargain. But you should be careful and watch out for little details when it comes to your health.

The names “hearing aid” and “hearing amplifier” might seem similar but they are actually very different devices. And your general hearing and health could suffer severe consequences if you make the wrong choice about this.

What is a hearing amplifier?

A hearing amplifier is a small device that, when put in your ear, raises the volume of the sounds around you. Technically classified as personal sound amplification products by the government, these devices tend to be very basic and one-dimensional. A hearing amplifier is like turning the volume of the world up.

Because of their one-size-fits-all strategy, hearing amplifiers are not recommended for people who have moderate to significant hearing loss.

Hearing amplifier aren’t hearing aids

It begins to become fairly obvious that hearing aids aren’t the same as hearing amplification devices when you consider that amplifiers are not recommended for people with even moderate hearing loss. Hearing aids, obviously, are encouraged for those with hearing loss.

Both hearing aids and hearing amplifiers have the ability to increase volumes. The primary difference between the two devices is how cutting edge that amplification is.

  • With hearing aids, only specific wavelengths of sound are amplified. Because hearing loss usually advances wavelength by wavelength. Wavelengths at the higher and lower end of the scale are usually the first to go. Instead of making everything louder, hearing aids work to plug holes in what you’re hearing. This selective strategy is a lot more effective for individuals with hearing loss.
  • Whatever environment you find yourself, your hearing aids can tune in to it. There are quite a few variables that will affect the specific acoustics of a space. These adjustments can even be made automatically with some modern hearing aids. Others can be calibrated with a smartphone or a dedicated device. You will avoid fewer places because you will be able to hear better in a wider variety of settings as your hearing aids make minute adjustments.
  • Picking out and amplifying speech is one of the primary functions of a hearing aid. Because communication is so essential in our lives and also because of the uneven way hearing loss progresses, this is an essential function. So this function has been prioritized by hearing aid makers who have put substantial resources into improving it. In order to make certain voices come through clearly even in a crowded room, advanced technology and algorithms are packed inside of modern hearing aids.

To put it bluntly, properly managing hearing loss depends on these features. And these are features that are not present in the majority of personal hearing amplifiers.

Finding the best solution at an affordable price

Untreated hearing loss can bring about cognitive decline, along with increasingly diminished ability to hear. With amplifiers, you’re likely to do more damage to your hearing as the device doesn’t differentiate frequencies and will most likely turn everything up to unsafe volumes. And who wants to do that?

Right now, the only approved treatments for hearing loss, if it’s not caused by earwax, are certain surgeries and hearing aids. Ignoring hearing loss and avoiding treatment doesn’t save you money in the long run. Untreated hearing loss has been shown to increase your general healthcare costs more than 40 percent. The good news is, there are affordable solutions. We can help.

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References

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373077

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.
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