TIPS ON CHOOSING THE RIGHT HEARING AID

One in every 10 Americans has hearing loss. Yet research indicates that most wait up to ten years before seeking help. While 95 percent of Americans with hearing loss could be successfully treated with hearing aids, only 22 percent currently use them.

Often neglected due to the stigma associated with the condition, hearing loss can create social and emotional barriers for the individuals living with it, or the families of those it affects.

When left untreated, hearing loss can lead to reduced earning power, disruptions in family life and can cause a wide range of other psychological problems.

If it is time to improve your hearing with a hearing aid, or you need to upgrade to new one, here are three easy steps to choosing the one that's right for you.

Step 1: Consult with a hearing health professional or an ear, nose and throat doctor. When deciding what hearing aid is best for you, it is important to consider the degree of hearing loss you have, the shape of your ear canals, you personal needs, your taste and your budget.

Step 2: Have your hearing aids fitted. Your hearing health professional will adjust your hearing aid to your hearing loss and your hearing preferences. Over the first few days, you should wear it for a few hours per day to familiarize yourself with it. Take note on how you feel in different hearing situations. Additional fine tuning might be necessary after your initial fitting.

Step 3: Using your new hearing aids. Just like glasses or contact lenses, a hearing aid can feel strange at first. This will change. Give yourself a little time to get used to it. You will learn how to make the best use of your hearing aid and will soon be enjoying all the benefits it has to offer.

source: http://www.tmcnet.com/