On Tue, Mar 30, 2004 at 06:11:14PM +0900, G. D. Akin wrote: > I just found out that my mother is going to need hearing aids as her hearing > is deterriorating in both ears. She had local vendor in Eugene, Oregon > quote her a price of $2995 for digital hearing aids (lifetime warranty and > adjustments as her hearing worsens over time). > > Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of hearings aids: makes, > styles, reasonable prices, anything else I should know?
I'd suggest subscribing to Consumer Reports "On Health" journal on the web. They had a long article about hearing loss and hearing aids that I just skimmed (excerpts below, but there is more on their site) http://consumerreportsonhealth.org/ *** http://tinyurl.com/3dyjt excerpt from "Time to deal with hearing loss?" Consumer Reports On Health May 2002 EVALUATING HEARING LOSS Hearing aids are appropriate for the majority of people with sensorineural hearing loss, but selecting the device should not be your first consideration. More crucial is finding a dispenser..an audiologist or licensed hearing-instrument specialist..qualified to evaluate your hearing loss, recommend appropriate devices, provide an aid that fits your ear canal and hearing needs, and offer strong follow-up. The best-trained expert in those tasks is an audiologist, a nonphysician specialist with a graduate degree in the measurement and management of hearing impairment. Audiologists can also dispense hearing aids, though in half of the states, they need a license to do so. If there.s no audiologist nearby, look for a licensed hearing-instrument specialist. Those practitioners have less formal education in the field than audiologists, and they generally use more-basic diagnostic equipment. But they may have a great deal of practical experience and can be qualified to fit hearing aids. Referrals from doctors can point you to dispensers who are up-to-date on the latest technology and standards. Friends with hearing aids can be a good source of referrals, too. You.ll want someone who will take the time to evaluate your problem (at least an hour for an initial consultation), and who welcomes questions and return visits. Don.t hesitate to contact several dispensers before choosing one (see Shopping dos and don'ts). In your first visit, expect to recount situations where you.ve found hearing difficult. The dispenser will use that case history to help diagnose the type of hearing loss. To determine the specifics, you should ideally be tested in a soundproof or quiet room. The results are included in a graph called an audiogram. The dispenser should walk you through the audiogram and explain its meaning. Are both ears affected, or are you among the minority with mainly one-sided hearing loss? (That may suggest a need for medical or surgical treatment.) Expect, too, to get a rundown of the choices of hearing aids. All types contain a microphone, an amplifier, a receiver to deliver the sound to the ear, and a battery. There are three basic technologies: * Basic analog. In this traditional format, the circuitry amplifies * speech and may block background noise to some extent. The * dispenser tells the manufacturer what frequency and amplification * settings to install; if there.s a volume control, you can adjust * it yourself. Properly cared for, the typical analog aid will last * three to five years. Expect to pay $400 to $1,500 each, depending * on the built-in features you order. * Programmable analog. These aids include advanced circuitry that * permits a variety of settings for different noise levels. The * dispenser programs the settings, but you may be able to change * them yourself. These aids generally last as long as basic analog * aids but cost a little more: $900 to $1,600 each. They can be * reprogrammed if your hearing changes. * Digital aids. These devices contain more-advanced circuitry that * converts sound into digital signals, analyzes the sound, and * creates a signal that.s more finely tuned to your hearing loss. * This technology is the most expensive.from $1,200 to $3,000 per * aid.but it.s so flexible that the dispenser can easily adjust it * if your hearing loss changes. Most audiologists we interviewed praised the flexibility of digital aids. They can provide more-precise fitting to individual hearing losses, help people adapt to different environments, and limit whistling feedback. A recent survey in The Hearing Journal suggested that people with programmable or digital units may be more satisfied with their devices than those with conventional aids. But depending on your lifestyle, a digital device may be costly overkill. .They do better in noise, but if you don.t go to noisy places very often, you might not need them,. notes Laurie Hanin, director of audiology at the League for the Hard of Hearing, in New York City. And some researchers are skeptical of their benefits. Mark Ross, professor emeritus of audiology at the University of Connecticut at Storrs, maintains that a digital background-noise suppressor hasn.t yet been proved to improve the ability to understand speech in noisy settings. .It lends itself to marketing,. he says, .but we don.t have much evidence that it helps people hear better.. In addition to different circuitry, there are four basic hearing-aid style options. They.re outlined in Hearing-aid styles. Note that the FDA has approved at least two implantable alternatives to traditional aids, for modest-to-severe hearing loss. They.re designed to improve sound quality and reduce feedback, occlusion (when your voice sounds as if it.s in a barrel), and discomfort. One component is worn in back of the ear, and another is inserted surgically. They.re supposed to last a lifetime, at a cost of $4,000 to $15,000, including surgery. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
