We all enjoy a good bargain. But when it comes to your health, be careful what you purchase and pay attention to the small details.

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

Hearing amplifiers

A small device that goes in your ear, a hearing amplifier raises the volume of outside sound. These are generally really simple, one-dimensional devices which the government categorizes as personal sound amplification devices. 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 individuals who have moderate to extensive hearing loss.

Hearing amplifier aren’t hearing aids

It starts to become pretty apparent 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 recommended for individuals who suffer from hearing loss.

Both kinds of devices are capable of raising the volume of outside sound. But one of these devices has a much higher level of amplification technology and sophistication.

• Hearing aids are made to select and boost certain frequencies of sound. That’s because people normally lose their hearing one wavelength at a time. Frequencies at the higher and lower end of the spectrum are usually the first to go. Instead of making everything louder, hearing aids work to plug holes in what you’re hearing. For people who have hearing loss, this selective approach is more effective.
• Whatever environment you find yourself, your hearing aids can tune in to it. The acoustics of any given place will change depending on a lengthy list of variables. These adjustments can even happen automatically with some modern hearing aids. A dedicated device or smartphone can calibrate hearing aids that don’t do it automatically. By making minute adjustments to the settings of your hearing aid, you’re capable of hearing better in a wider variety of environments, meaning there will be fewer places you want to avoid.
• Hearing aids are specifically manufactured to help you comprehend speech. Because communication is so essential in our lives and also because of the uneven way hearing loss develops, this is an essential function. As a result, hearing aid manufacturers have invested monumental resources into enhancing the clarity of speech above everything else. In order to make certain voices come through clearly even in a noisy room, advanced technology and algorithms are bundled inside of modern hearing aids.

Bottom line, these capabilities are vital components of effectively managing hearing loss. In most cases, personal amplifiers don’t have these abilities.

The right deal for your ears

Along with a diminished ability to hear, untreated hearing loss can also lead to mental decline. Because amplifiers don’t differentiate between frequencies, if you raise the volume enough to hear what you’re missing, you’ll likely have it up too loud for other wavelengths….and damage your hearing further. And that isn’t good for anybody.

Right now, the only recommended treatments for hearing loss, if it’s not caused by earwax, are some surgeries and hearing aids. You won’t save any money in the long run by failing to get treatment for your hearing loss. Overall healthcare costs have been found to increase by more than 40% with neglected hearing loss. Fortunately, there are affordable options. We can help.

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References

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