Dont Buy a Hearing Aid Until you ask The Following Questions

Buying a Hearing Aid can be very expensive, especially if you get it wrong.. therefore it is vitally important that you consider all the factors associated with your hearing loss before making the final commitment.
One of the first steps to be taken is to have a hearing test. This is most important as it will determine what level of hearing loss you have and at what audio frequencies it is most apparent. The hearing test is usually carried out by an Audiologist and he will produce a graph of your hearing responses. This will tell you if you have mild or severe hearing loss and if you have low or high frequency problems.
The second question that you should consider is what type of lifestyle you have. This is most important as an elderly person who wants to hear talking and listen to the radio or television has a very different lifestyle to a young executive type or somebody who loves music. Although the hearing loss measured by the Audiologist may be exactly the same for these different people, the Hearing Aid would have to be programmed quite differently
. Next you have to question what type of Hearing Aid will suit you best. There are a number of styles including ‘Behind the Ear‘ ‘In the Ear‘, ‘In the Ear Channel` an `Completely in the Channel.` Factors that could decide which type of Hearing Aid is most suitable are the degree of hearing loss the sufferer has. Do they mind if it can be seen, are they able to manage the very tiny Completely in the Channel type. If a person has arthritis if would be very difficult to insert the very tiny Hearing Aid into the ear channel so they would have to have a Behind the Ear Hearing Aid, whereas a young executive may want the Aid to be as inconspicuous as possible so a Behind the Ear type would not be suitable. However modern Behind the Ear Hearing Aids are now being made much smaller and therefore less conspicuous.
Another major factor must be the cost of the Hearing Aid. Generally speaking the higher the cost the more advanced is the Hearing Aid. Hearing Aids are available for just a few pounds, these are called Analogue Hearing Aids. Analogue Aids generally amplify all sounds they receive equally although if you are willing to pay extra they can be made with volume controls to help differentiate between high frequency and low frequency sounds.
Digital Hearing Aids are much more expensive as they have much more complicated electronics in them. This allows the Digital Hearing Aid to be programmed in greater detail, so that every specific hearing loss can be rectified. The cost of these Hearing Aids is usually in the hundreds of pounds
Depending on what you can afford will also determine the type of Hearing Aid that is most suitable. Another factor is if the Hearing Aid is for a child the most suitable is usually a `Behind the Ear ` type as this will continue to be useful even as the child grows and their ears get bigger. `In the Channel ` type would have to be replaced as the ear channel grows and the Aid does no longer fit properly.
Before you buy any Hearing Aid make sure that you are satisfied it meets all your particular individual requirements.

Do You Have To Suffer In Silence--Fit a Hearing Aid

Many people suffer from hearing loss without realising it. The most common hearing loss occurs As a person gets older and the small hairs inside the ear become less receptive to sounds entering the outer ear channel causing a gradual hearing loss. Sufferers will often accept that they can no longer hear the television or radio without the volume being turned up, making it unacceptable to others in the room who will find it too loud. If the volume is kept lower to suit others in the room it would make it very difficult for the hearing impaired to hear and therefore they would suffer in silence and miss out what was going on.
Sufferers of hearing loss could also find great difficulty in joining in conversations especially if there were a group of people as they would not be able to pick out an individual voice above the background noise. They would then tend to stand back and not take part in the discussions.
There is no need to `suffer in silence` as there are ways of overcoming these problems. Initially the sufferer must accept that there is a problem with their hearing and they are prepared to do something about it. There can be many reasons for hearing loss and the first stop must always be to visit their local G.P. so he can examine their ears. In some cases it is as simple as having a build up wax in the ear channel or a slight blockage or swelling caused by an infection which is closing up the ear channel slightly. This can easily be overcome either by removing the wax or medication to cure the infection.
If after examination, it is found that this is not the case he will ask you to take a hearing test which would be carried out by an Audiologist. An Audiologist is a qualified hearing aid specialist that will test your hearing responses over a wide range of audio frequencies. He will sit you in a very quiet room and place a pair of earphones over your ears. He will then connect these to an audiometer which is an instrument which will produce a sound at a particular audio frequency. The audiologist will gradually reduce the volume of the sound until you can no longer hear it, he will then record this. He will the repeat this test over the whole range of audio frequencies until he has a graph of your responses and where a hearing loss is indicated.
If it is found that you have some hearing loss at particular frequencies he will most likely advise you that you should have a hearing aid to overcome this hearing loss.
A Digital Hearing Aid can be programmed to amplify these particular frequencies where there is a hearing loss and not amplify those frequencies that your hearing is satisfactory. It is also possible to have the Digital Hearing Aid set up to your own requirements and environmental conditions. Some sufferers may not want to hear background noise which could interfere when listening to conversations, whereas others may want to continue to hear background noises as this makes the sounds being heard much more natural especially when in the garden or on the street. Sufferers should no longer `suffer in silence` as the modern Digital Hearing Aid can overcome most hearing loss so that you can lead as normal a life as possible and enjoy being involved completely with everything and everybody again.

Will An Open Fit Hearing Aid Give Me perfect Hearing

Hearing Aids have been used by sufferers of hearing loss for a great many years. There are basically two types called Analogue and Digital. The difference between them is the way they amplify the sound being received before transmitting it to the eardrum within the ear.

Digital Hearing Aids. have been a great improvement over Analogue because it is possible to programme them to meet the specific requirements of the sufferer. This is especially important for sufferers with hearing loss at the lower frequencies, such as voices. As it can be difficult to understand voices within a crowded environment because of the background noise, Digital Hearing Aids are able to reduce this by configuring the Aid to eliminate this noise and hence allowing you to hear the person you are talking to without interference.

Although Digital Hearing Aids have been a major leap forward in improving a sufferers hearing response there has always been one problem that causes annoyance. The modern Hearing Aid is designed to have an ear mould within the ear channel. This has the advantage of transferring the amplified sound from the Hearing Aid directly into the ear channel allowing the Hearing Aids to be made much smaller as there is very little loss of sound between the Aid and the eardrum within the ear.

Although this has been a major improvement in helping sufferers with hearing loss it has created its own problem. Because the ear channel is completely blocked by the ear mould it gives a sensation of the ear being plugged up. This can create hollow sounds especially when eating or when the hearing loss sufferer has a cold.

This problem could not be overcome before because of feedback. This is when the resulting sounds that have been amplified can be picked up by the microphone in the Hearing Aid creating a very high pitched whistle. By completely blocking the ear channel, with the ear mould, stopped this feedback from happening. However, because of the latest developments Hearing Aids now have built in circuits to eliminate this feedback, thus allowing the ear mould to be open fit. This is simply where the ear mould has small apertures in it allowing the passage of air through it. This has therefore, overcome the problem of the ear feeling blocked up and the hollow sounds associated with eating etc.

Other major advantages of Open Fit Hearing Aids are that they do not have to have an individual ear mould made and therefore can be fitted almost immediately saving both time and money.

Although Open Fit Hearing Aids can give greatly improved hearing, no Hearing Aid can ever restore hearing to its original level – but it is getting close.

Which Type Of Hearing Aid wii be Best For You

People who suffer from some form of hearing loss have a number of different types and styles of Hearing Aid to choose from. Depending on the amount of hearing loss, could affect the type of Aid most suitable.

A number of hearing impaired people are put off wearing a Hearing Aid because of vanity, thinking only what it will look like having a bulky Aid in full view behind the ear. However, there have been vast improvements in Hearing Aids over the last few years including many that can hardly be seen.

Because of development of Digital, Hearing Aids are now being made much smaller and more effective than the Analogue Hearing Aids of the past.

There are a number of different configurations of Digital Aids designed to meet the needs of nearly all hearing loss sufferers. Behind the ear (BTE) are the most common type and have been around almost since the first Hearing Aids were developed. The main part of the Aid fits behind the outer ear and contains the microphone, amplifier and speaker. A thin clear tube is connected from this to an ear mould that fits into the ear channel and delivers sound into the ear.

This type is generally more powerful than other types of Hearing Aid because of its size and is most useful for sufferers with severe or profound losses. It is also most suitable for children as the ear mould can be easily changed as the child grows up instead of having to renew the complete Hearing Aid.

In the Ear (ITE) Hearing Aids sit in the outer ear and contain all the working parts within the ear mould. They can fit a wide range of patients including mild to profound hearing losses. It fills the entire centre of the ear and therefore it is not possible to hide this type of Hearing Aid. The microphone is much closer to the ear drum, than the BTE type, giving increased sound reception. It is usually less expensive and has a longer battery life.

In the Channel (ITC) Hearing Aids are specifically moulded to fit within the ear channel and are suitable for sufferers with mild hearing loss. They are still visible but much less so than the (ITE) type. They are found to be much more costly than the ITE type as they are smaller therefore more difficult to build. The battery life is also shorter than the ITE type as it has to be much smaller.

The Completely in the Channel (CIC) Hearing Aids are similar to the ITC type and is only effective for people with mild to moderate hearing. It is very much smaller than any other type of Hearing Aid as it has to completely fit inside the ear channel. They are almost invisible when worn and need to be very carefully inserted and removed. The CIC Hearing Aid has many advantages especially if you do not want others to know you are wearing it. It is usually much more costly and the batteries do not last very long due to its very small size.

The Body worn Hearing Aid is ideal for sufferers of profound hearing loss. It is made up of an earpiece, the loudspeaker, which is placed on the ear and connected by an electrical wire to a small box attached to the clothing or placed in a pocket. Because of its size it can be very powerful and usually easy to control. This type of Aid is not very expensive as the components do not have to be made very small.

Choosing the right type of Hearing Aid for your particular hearing loss and comfort should not be made quickly. The amount of hearing loss and if you want it to be unseen are just two of the major considerations.

`SOUND` Advice to Stop Hearing Loss

Noise especially loud noise is one of the major causes of hearing loss. Our ears are made up of an outer ear which includes the ear channel, this feeds the sounds picked up onto the ear drum. The ear drum vibrates as the sound hits it causing the three tiny bones in the middle ear to vibrate and amplify the sounds. The tiny bones of the middle ear are connected to the inner ear which contains a snail like structure called the Cocklea. This is filled with liquid and also contains very fine hair cells. When the sound reaches the Cocklea it causes the fine hair cells to vibrate according to the vibrations reaching them. Some of these fine hairs are tuned to high frequency sounds whereas others to lower frequency sounds. There are fine hairs covering the full range of Audio sound.
If the sounds reaching the outer ear are excessively loud these very sensitive hair cells in the inner ear can become damaged thereby affecting their ability to react to normal levels of sounds Loud sounds do not immediately damage the ears but if these loud sounds continue over a longer period, then a gradual destruction of the ability of the fine hair cells to react to the vibrations at normal sound levels will increase. It is generally thought that hearing loss only occurs as you get older with people over 65 being the most at risk, however, it is now becoming more and more apparent in the younger generation. In the modern day loud sounds have almost become the norm. More and more people, especially the young, now have personal stereo equipment, attend Discos or Pop Concerts where the music is usually at full volume. This is when the damage to the ear can be most affected as the loud sounds are being heard over a long period of time especially for regular concert goers. Also because of the age of the person the ears are in a much more delicate state.
When told about the possible damage that may be happening to their ears most young people do not seem to care and do not believe it could cause hearing loss in a few years time.
There is no way the younger generation are going to be persuaded to either turn down their music to a reasonable level or wear ear muffs to cut out some of the sound. It is therefore quite obvious that more and more younger people are going to have to wear Hearing Aids to overcome the hearing loss they have.
o find out more about Hearing Aids Visit Digital Hearing Aids

Will Vertigo Get You In a Spin

Have you wondered why you sometimes feel dizzy when you suddenly stand up after bending down for some time? The reason is that the balance mechanism in your ears cannot communicate to your brain quickly enough. This is only a very mild problem and very quickly corrects itself.
Some people experience this feeling considerably more often and it becomes very disabling. This symptom is known as Vertigo and can cause a nauseating feeling that everything is spinning around you.
The balance mechanism is situated in the inner ear and consists of three fluid filled canals with very tiny hair cells. When the head moves the fluid in these canals moves causing the hair cells to move, this movement is then transmitted to the brain by electrical impulses, which it then interprets as a signal that the body is changing its position.
The most common type of vertigo is called Benign Positional Vertigo. The sufferer may experience this when suddenly changing positions such as sitting up quickly or turning over in bed. This type of Vertigo usually only lasts a very short time and is caused by small crystals forming in the fluid channels in the inner ear. These can tumble about giving a false reading to the brain.
Another cause of Vertigo is called Viral Neuronitis which is caused by an inflammation of the hair cells in the inner ear. This is usually caused by a virus infection and if not treated quickly can cause incapacity for a number of days. The feeling gradually decreasing as the virus infection is controlled.
Thirdly acute Labyrinthitis Vertigo is also caused by a virus infection but can be a much more permanent problem. In the worst cases Hearing Loss and Tinnitus can result as well as vertigo.
Finally Menire`s disease which also causes bouts of Vertigo but can also include hearing loss and Tinnitus.
If the symptoms of Vertigo persist it is most important that the sufferer should be examined by a GP as soon as possible. Delaying treatment in the early stages can result in permanent damage and increased problems of Vertigo.
To check your hearing and help you decide if you have any hearing loss visit Hearing Test

Tinnitus Cure -- Is it Music to Your Ears

Tinnitus is the medical name for what people describe as `ringing in the ears`. The sound can be not only ringing but hissing or any other sound that is being heard by the sufferer. It is being produced within the ear and not as a result of external sounds. It cannot generally be heard by others but only by the sufferer themselves. There are very many causes of Tinnitus such as exposure to loud noises over a period of time, ear infection or trauma to the ear. In some cases it has been caused by taking various medications. In fact anything that can cause damage to the inner ear.

In normal circumstances sounds collected by your ears are passed into the ear channel onto the ear drum. This is connected to the inner ear by an arrangement of three very tiny bones. The inner ear contains the cochlea and auditory nerves. The cochlea is a coiled spiral tube that contains a great many hair cells. These hear cells collect the vibrations and convert them into electrical pulses which are transmitted to the brain which converts them back into recognisable sounds. If the hair cells are damaged in any way these electrical pulses may become distorted and the brain may interpret these slight distortions as sounds resulting in Tinnitus.
Other causes of Tinnitus can be a build up of wax in the ear channel, infection of the inner ear, meniere`s disease, which affects the inner ear and also can cause problems such as vertigo, anaemia causing the rapid circulation of blood etc.

By looking on the web it can be seen that there are hundreds of recommendations for products or therapies that purport to cure Tinnitus. However because Tinnitus is usually caused by damage to the inner ear in some way, herbal medicines or other drugs are not effective unless the cause is purely an infection which can be cured.

Tinnitus Masking is one of the ways that allows you to manage it. This involves playing sounds that mask the ringing in your ears. This can be done by listening to your favourite music etc. This method will not stop the Tinnitus but it will be swallowed up in the rest of the music sounds. The time that this could be very important is when you are trying to get to sleep. If you had music playing in your ears it could make you relax instead of concentrating solely on the ringing in your ears. Having good nights sleep greatly helps with the following day to bringing stress levels down which can help with the living with the Tinnitus.
There have now been new developments in the treatment of Tinnitus where it is proposed that doctored music can help sufferers combat the condition.
It has been found that by regularly listening to the doctored music, sufferers have gained long term relief.

How the music is doctored is that a sufferer choice of music is altered so that the frequencies that are the same as those as the Tinnitus sound frequencies are removed. It is thought that by removing these sound frequencies, the brain is being trained to understand how it hears the Tinnitus noise and so reducing its effect.
In laboratory tests it was found that there was a significant reduction in Tinnitus loudness after 6 months compared with sufferers who had not undertaken these tests. Scan of the brain also found that there appeared to be a permanent change in the way the Tinnitus sounds were being processed.

It has been suggested that regular listening to the doctored tape music had retrained the brain in how it hear sounds in the Tinnitus frequency.

There are now Hearing Aids on the market that have built in circuits that help to overcome the problem of Tinnitus. For more information on these Hearing aids visit DIGITAL HEARING AIDS

You Can Be Your Own Hearing Aid Professional

It is estimated that there are currently about 6 million people in the UK that suffer from some form of Hearing Loss. This is likely to increase as the population gets older. It is a known fact that as people age their hearing deterioates and in many cases this is not noticed, by the sufferer, because it is a very gradual process.
Symptoms of hearing loss can show itself in a number of ways such as finding it difficult to join in conversations, having to turn the volume up on the TV or radio, asking people to repeat what they have just said to you.
The first step in deciding if there is a problem with hearing is to have a Hearing Test. The Hearing Test will show if there is any loss of hearing, at what frequencies and at what level of sound.
If it is decided that a Hearing Aid would make a difference in helping overcome some of the hearing loss, the next step is to decide the type of Hearing Aid that would be most suitable. A Digital Hearing Aid is generally found to be the best as it has a number of advantages over other types of hearing aid. The main advantage is that it can be programmed so that it meets the requirements of the individual sufferer. Programming the hearing aid has, up till now, usually been carried out by an audiologist after he has carried out the hearing test. This has a number of disadvantages such as the Audiologist can only programme the Hearing Aid according to the hearing test results and does not take into account any enviromental factors.
Also what is the primary requirement of the sufferer, such as, is it mainly to be used so that conversations within group discussions can be better heard. If the audiologist programmes the hearing aid these factors cannot generally be taken into account therfore it is much better if the Hearing Aid can be programmed by the sufferer of hearing loss.
There are now available computer programmers that have been specifically designed for this purpose, such the READY TO ENJOY Programmer.



Using the Ready to Enjoy Programmer the Hearing Aid can be programmed to meet the specific needs of the sufferer and more importantly can reprogramme the hearing aid as often as required without the necessity of having to revisit the Audiologist.
This can save a great deal of time and frustration and reduce a consderable ammount of stress.