An article this week from Marketwatch.com talked about how, for younger demographics, hearing loss is becoming more prevalent. Recently, a study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins made the argument that nationwide, hearing loss is actually more widespread that once thought. And hearing loss in young people is a big deal that unfortunately does not receive all the attention it deserves.

The study found that 55 million Americans have hearing loss in one or both of their ears. And in people 20-29 years old, 8.5 percent have some level of hearing loss. Not only is this a startling figure, but its effects run deep: Leaving hearing loss untreated can impact the learning ability of a young person, says one study. Another study, this one by the Better Hearing Institute, suggests that 1.5 million people younger than 21 years old suffer from hearing loss. These young people could be benefiting from hearing aids, but, sadly, the problem is often ignored or not recognized.

This BHI study also showed that embarrassment is a big factor when it comes to hearing loss in young people. In fact, three out of ten parents say this is why their child doesn’t have a hearing aid. Something else that came up in the study was that parents may not always be getting correct information about hearing loss in young people, or hearing loss in general. For example, two in ten parents had been told that a hearing aid wasn’t necessary because their child only was suffering hearing loss in just one ear and not both.

So hearing loss in young people affects many more than most people think. While the reasons for not recognizing hearing loss as a problem can range from embarrassment to misinformation, it’s important to realize how hearing loss in young people can affect their lives, even by hurting their ability to learn. Hearing aids for young people do not have to be a source of embarrassment or shame. There are many varieties of hearing aids available that are discreet and inobtrusive.

If you’re concerned that a young person you know is suffering from hearing loss, have a trained professional administer a hearing exam so that the nature and level of hearing loss can be determined.

Starkey hearing aids are all about better life through better hearing. A “worry-free warranty” is included with Starkey hearing aids, along with a commitment to superior customer service. The philosophy behind Starkey hearing aids is that the full potential of every hearing aid for every hearing aid wearer can be unlocked by customer education and training. Starkey hearing aids are quality products, and the company is committed to improving the quality of life for the hearing impaired.

Starkey Hearing Aids: About the Company

Berkeley, California’s Starkey Hearing Research Center (SHRC) is where new concepts in hearing and technology are built by dedicated Starkey scientists, researchers, programmers and engineers. Focusing on long-term hearing research issues along with product development, designers have created Starkey hearing aids that benefit from years of research rather than merely months.

The quailty of Starkey hearing aids has cemented the company as a global leader and innovator in hearing devices. There are quite a few models of Starkey hearing aids, each with its own set of features and capabilities.The Starkey Zon.7 hearing aid, for example, is comfortable, inobtrusive and designed for maximum value and performance. Able to handle most ordinary hearing situations, this Starkey hearing aid lets users hear difficult sounds and participate in conversations.

Starkey Hearing Aids: Products

The Starkey Zon.7 hearing aid offers enhanced hearing to people who are finding that their hearing problems are affecting their quality of life. Designed for maximum value and performance by the engineers at Starkey, the Starkey Zon.7 hearing aid is a fine example of hearing enhancement innovation. Comfortable and inobtrustive, the Starkey Zon.7 is built for years of dependable, affordable hearing assistance. This quality hearing aid can handle most ordinary hearing situations, making it possible for the Starkey Zon.7’s user to hear difficult sounds and participate in conversations with ease.

The Starkey Destiny 1600 hearing aid, an open-fit unit, is one of the top-tier hearing aids proudly offered at Hearing Aid Express. This unit sits behind the ear and provides the best hearing performance in a nearly invisible form factor, as it does not block the ear canal.

Another open-fit unit is the Starkey Destiny 400, also called an “over-the-ear” hearing aid. This Starkey hearing aid is ideal for users with moderate hearing loss in high-frequency ranges. It’s a mid-tier product that balances solid performance, appearance and value.

Buy Starkey Hearing Aids

Buy Starkey hearing aids at Hearing Aid Express, where you’ll find plenty more products along with hearing aids from other manufacturers. And if you’re just starting to shop for hearing aids or have some questions, don’t miss our frequently asked questions about hearing aids.

Sonic hearing aids are made by Sonic Innovations, the fastest growing hearing aid company in the world. Designed, developed, manufactured and marketed by Sonic Innovations, Sonic hearing aids use patented digital signal processing technologies. The cutting-edge design and features of Sonic hearing aids enable those suffering hearing loss to hear very well.

Sonic Hearing Aids: Top Tier

HearingAidExpress offers a couple of top-tier Sonic hearing aids. One is the Sonic Velocity hearing aid. Offering enhanced hearing to people whose hearing problems are affecting their quality of life, the Sonic Velocity hearing aid is designed for maximum value and performance. The Sonic Velocity hearing aid is unobtrusive, comfortable and built for years of reliable hearing assistance.

Another one of the top-tier Sonic hearing aids we offer is the Sonic Balance. Similar to the Sonic Velocity, the Sonic Balance hearing aid can enable its user to hear difficult sounds as well as participate in conversations with ease. Seeking the exceptional hearing performance? The top-tier Sonic hearing aids are a great choice.

Sonic Hearing Aids: Mid-Tier

The Sonic Applause hearing aid is another option if you’re shopping for Sonic hearing aids. It offers user-focused options, like optional volume control and three listening programs.

Sonic Hearing Aids: Basic Tier

Basic-tier Sonic hearing aids like the Sonic Natura Pro offers user-focused options that make it comfortable and simple to adjust to. This Sonic hearing aid is ideal for those who would like to get the most hearing enhancement performance-per-dollar, as it’s from Sonic’s value-oriented product line.

Sonic hearing aids are internationally recognized for their innovative digital signal processing technologies. We’re proud to offer a variety of Sonic hearing aids here at HearingAidExpress.

Hearing Aid Study Performed

Not all hearing aids are created equal, according to a study of hearing devices completed at Michigan State University by student Susanna Love Callaway and her professor, Jerry Punch, in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders.  The study of hearing aids was done as part of Ms. Callaway’s master’s thesis in audiology and was published in a recent issue of the American Journal of Audiology.

Hearing Aid Study Findings

The study compared eleven over-the-counter hearing aids using the testing methods for your traditional hearing aids.  The study found that these lower cost hearing aids don’t meet fitting requirements, not to mention that they could possibly harm your hearing.  Hearing aids under $100, typically considered amplifying devices, can do more damage to already bad hearing because of the loud, amplified sounds they send directly into the ear canal.

The mid-range hearing aids, according to the study, weren’t considered a hearing safety hazard.  However since these hearing devices weren’t professionally fit; there was no guarantee if they would work for the purchaser’s specific type of hearing loss.  The mid-range hearing aids cost anywhere from $100 to $500.

Hearing Aid Monitoring

One final warning the study had for people purchasing the low-cost hearing devices is that they, unlike traditional hearing aids, are not monitored by the Food and Drug Administration.  Hearing aids purchased at Hearing Aid Express are produced at their 2 FDA registered labs, so you can rest assured that you are getting the proper device for your hearing loss needs.

Hearing Aid Evaluation

If you think that you might be experiencing some degree of hearing loss, visit HearingAidExpress.com and take our self-evaluation.  There is also a frequently asked questions section that may address some concerns that you have regarding hearing loss.  You can also call one of our customer service agents who will be more than happy to assist you.

Adjusting to a hearing aid, for many people, may be an uncomfortable process. Louder sounds take some getting used to, but eventually adjusting to a hearing aid will be a thing of the past for you as you enjoy louder hearing.

Tips for Adjusting to a Hearing Aid

Recently the Minnesota Department of Human Services released some tips for adjusting to a hearing aid. They suggest that you start out by wearing your hearing aid just at home, taking note of the sounds you can now hear because of the new hearing aid. Next, they suggest gradually adding more sound sources. Some examples of sound sources can be the radio, TV or even a conversation. It’s important to note that this step of adjusting to a hearing aid should still happen at your home. You can extend the amount of time you wear your hearing aid gradually, so long as it feels comfortable. Remember that it’s perfectly normal to need to adjust the volume frequently, and you may even need to eventually visit your doctor or audiologist to have your hearing aid adjusted. After several weeks of adjusting to a hearing aid, rest assured that sounds should begin to feel natural.

Adjusting to a Hearing Aid Takes Time

As the saying goes, “All good things come to those who wait.” That’s certainly true for adjusting to a hearing aid. While it may take several weeks for sounds to feel natural, it will certainly be worth the wait to enjoy louder, sharper hearing from your new hearing aid.

After Adjusting to a Hearing Aid

After adjusting to a hearing aid, you’ll notice that sounds are enhanced and you can hear better. It may be surprising to you to hear things so loudly and clearly. After all, hearing loss is gradual, so you likely grew unaccustomed to sounds like background conversations and the hum of the refrigerator. One thing that’s important to remember after adjusting to a hearing aid is that a hearing aid will not completely restore your hearing.

More Help with Adjusting to a Hearing Aid

For more help with adjusting to a hearing aid and to view a section of frequently asked questions about hearing aids, be sure and visit HearingAidExpress.com. Or even if you are just researching hearing aids and aren’t sure if you need one, feel free to take our hearing self evaluation. HearingAidExpress is proud to carry a large selection of hearing aids.

Hearing Aids that are Improperly Fitted can do More Harm

Hearing aids can actually do more harm than good if they are fitted properly to a person’s ear or tuned to a person’s specific hearing loss, according to an article that appeared in the Detroit Free Press.

Hearing Aids Should be Fitted and Tuned

Michigan State University audiology student, Susanna Callaway, performed a study on Internet and drugstore hearing devices.  What she found is that the inexpensive hearing aids didn’t work on at least three of the types of sound loss that she was testing.  Nor did the less expensive hearing aids, which she purchased for under $100, reduce loud noises.  The non-reduction of loud noise by the hearing aid could actually make hearing loss worse, or even damage healthy hearing.

Callaway’s findings on over-the-counter hearing devices, which aren’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, appeared in the June issue of American Journal of Audiology.

Hearing Aids are Needed by Most Older Adults

Unfortunately for a lot of Americans, the cheaper drugstore and Internet hearing aids are their only option.  Most insurance companies view hearing loss as the normal process of aging so they don’t cover hearing aids, nor does Medicare.  According the article by Megha Satyanarayana, most people start to lose their hearing by age 60.  This means by 80 years of age, most people could use some form of a hearing aid.

Hearing Aids Made Affordable

In an effort to help make hearing devices more affordable and to insure that people are getting properly fitted and tuned hearing devices, HearingAidExpress.com has taken as many measures as possible to offer the lowest prices for their clients.  HearingAidExpress operates their own manufacturing and repair labs, as well as dropping their prices to the public when they get discounts from manufacturers.   We also offer financing for those hearing aid customers that may need it.

Everyone who has a hearing aid is going to need it to be repaired at some point.  Some repairs are because a component (such as a microphone or receiver) has failed.  The vast majority of repairs aren’t due to a component failing.  The hearing aid isn’t working properly because of wax or moisture.

What’s the deal with Wax?

Ear canals produce wax.  It’s part of their job.  Wax helps keep the ear canal lubricated.  Some people’s ear canals produce more wax than others.  It’s typically not a problem - unless it collects on the end of your hearing aid (or earmold) and plugs it up.  If that happens your hearing aids aren’t going to work the way they are supposed to, and you won’t hear as well using them as you did before they became clogged.

Why isn’t my Hearing Aid working - Does it Need to be Repaired?

If it’s just wax at the tip of your earmold or the receiver opening it probably doesn’t need to be repaired - it just needs to be cleaned.  If you wear eyeglasses and there is a smear on the lens, you can’t see as well, but there isn’t anything wrong with your glasses.  They just need to be cleaned.  Hearing aids are the same way in many cases.  If your hearing aids use wax guards (most of the better ones do) the wax guard may need to be changed.  If you wear a Behind The Ear (BTE) aid it may just be that your earmold needs to be cleaned.  At Hearing Aid Express we will clean any hearing aid you purchase from us for free for as long as you own it.

What About Moisture?

Hearing aids use electrical components to make them work.  A battery powers the microphone, computer chip and receiver.  Nothing electronic likes any kind of moisture.  Most hearing aid problems related to moisture aren’t due to water coming from the outside, like rain (but don’t wear them in the shower!).  Moisture problems are usually due to sweating.  As with wax, some people sweat more than others.  If you are a “heavy sweater” you need to be more diligent to make sure it doesn’t cause problems with your hearing aid.

So How Do I Avoid Hearing Aid Repairs?

For wax issues, be sure to change your wax guards regularly.  You should take your hearing aids in a few times a year to have them cleaned and checked to make sure they are working properly.  For people who purchase their hearing aids from us this service is free for as long as you own them (try doing THAT with a place that sells hearing aids online!).

For moisture, the main thing is to keep the moisture from getting in the hearing aid to begin with, and if moisture gets in your hearing aids to get it out as soon as possible.

This is usually done using a hearing aid dryer.  Some dryers use a dessicant (material that absorbs moisture).; others use heat or air to dry your hearing aids.  The most effective dryers use a dessicant and forced air (blowing through the drying chamber) to dry out your hearing aid.  Operating a dryer is easy.  You open the battery door of your hearing aid and put it in the dryer - typically while you sleep.  Hearing Aid Express offers a variety of hearing aid dryers - from the dessicant type to forced air dryers.

What should I do if I think my Hearing Aid has Wax or Moisture Problems?

That’s easy - bring it in to us.  We’d be glad to clean and check your hearing aids - for free.  We will let you know if you need a new wax guard or if you might benefit from a hearing aid dryer.  You may just need your hearing aids cleaned.   While you are visiting us be sure to get some batteries.  We still have fresh hearing aid batteries for only 50 cents each.

First let’s look at who Beltone actually is. 

Beltone is one division (out of 4 divisions) of the GN ReSound Group.  Information on all four groups can be found here:  www.gnresound-group.com/our_brands.html   GN stands for Great Nordic, which is based in Denmark, and is one of the largest hearing aid manufacturers in the world.  They are the parent company of the GN ReSound Group which includes ReSound and Beltone.

Where Does Beltone fit in this Group?

Beltone is part of a network of dealers around the country.  The stores are typically owned by a Beltone dealer who has the rights to sell Beltone hearing aids in a certain geographic area.  They are a “captive network”, meaning they typically offer only Beltone brand hearing aids.  Beltone offices don’t carry hearing aids from manufacturers such as ReSound, Starkey, Siemens, etc.  If you want a Beltone hearing aid you have to get it from a Beltone dealer; if you want to choose from other brands you have to go somewhere else.

What about ReSound Hearing Aids?

ReSound hearing aids are manufactured by the same GN ReSound group.  These hearing aids are offered outside of a network.  They are dispensed by Doctor’s offices, Audiology clinics and Licensed Hearing Aid Dispensers.  Since these offices are not usually part of a network, they can (and typically do) offer hearing aids from more than one manufacturer.  This gives potential customers greater choice since they aren’t limited to choosing hearing aids from only one manufacturer.  As Great Nordic’s flagship brand, ReSound hearing aids typically get the newest technology advances before the other brands in the group (including Beltone).

Is GN ReSound Group the Only Company to offer Hearing Aids under Different Names?

No, a number of hearing aid manufacturers do this.  Miracle Ear hearing aids are manufactured by Siemens; Audibel and Nu-Ear hearing aids are manufactured by Starkey.

So are Beltone Hearing Aids Any Good?

Sure they are.  There is nothing wrong with the quality of Beltone hearing aids.  They are made using the same components - microphones, computer chips, receivers - as ReSound hearing aids.  They are both manufactured by one of the leading hearing aid companies in the world.

Why would I buy a Beltone Hearing Aid instead of a ReSound Hearing Aid?

Beats me.  With ReSound you have the same or newer technology.  ReSound hearing aids typically cost less (because many places carry them; they compete for your business.  You can only buy Beltone hearing aids at one place - the local Beltone dealer).  Plus, if you are in an office that carries ReSound hearing aids they probably carry other brands as well.  We do.  What if you prefer a brand other than ReSound (or Beltone)?  We think you should have more choices.

Hearing Aids are More Fashionable

Hearing Aids are becoming more and more fashionable these days.  It seems that the younger generations are losing their hearing at a earlier age and therefore want hearing aids that look great or can’t be seen at all.

Hearing Aids Geared Towards Baby Boomers

According to an article that appeared this month in The Virginian-Pilot, that as more and more baby boomers are moving into the hearing loss world; marketers of hearing aids are working on more discreet and fashionable hearing aids to appeal to this demographic.

Hearing aids are popping up in fashionable colors with fashionable names, according the article by Elizabeth Simpson.  Hearing Aids can now be found in red, lime green and black and silver.

Hearing Aids are Needed More Often

Maybe these marketers are on to something with creating more fashionable hearing aids.  According to a study done by Johns Hopkins University, one in three American adults suffer from some hearing loss.  It seems that the increase in use of personal stereos, blue tooth, and hands-free cell phones might have something to do with this increase in hearing loss.  Not to mention, with all the modern medicines, Americans are living longer which increases their risk of experiencing hearing loss.

The study also states that high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking can also increase your change of experiencing some degree of hearing loss.  It is recommended that you begin getting your hearing tested as early as young adulthood.

Hearing Aids:  Hear What You’ve Been Missing

If you think that you might be experiencing some degree of hearing loss, visit HearingAidExpress.com and take our self-evaluation.  There is also a frequently asked questions section that may address some concerns that you have regarding hearing loss.  You can also call one of our customer service agents who will be more than happy to assist you.

HearingAidExpress carries a large line of hearing aids, including ones in Pure Passion … otherwise known as red.