It isn’t a condition that many of us plan for. In many instances it happens gradually and over time. You may wake up one day and realize that your hearing just isn’t as good as it used to be.

It happens to millions of Americans, more than 35 million to be exact. That number happens to include, former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan; actors Sally Fields, Burt Reynolds and Robin Wright. It is also a condition that has impacted the lives of Hall of Fame football player Mike Singletary, race car drivers Al & Bobby Unser and rocker Bono.

Hearing loss didn’t keep them from important meetings with foreign delegates or even from the music they loved.

If you think you suffer from hearing loss, life doesn’t have to be a struggle. Hearing aids can often help. Many of today’s devices can also go unnoticed.

They can be so unnoticeable that even former Miss America Deidre Downs can wear them and feel confident in social situations.

“Wearing hearing aids again gave me the ability to better participate in life – school, family, and friends. Hearing aids have diminished the impact hearing loss has on my life. I finally feel like I can hear as well as a normal hearing person,” she has said.  “My friends, family and classmates no longer have to constantly repeat themselves. I don’t have to use closed captioning on TV anymore and I rarely miss pieces of conversations – even in noisy restaurants. It’s been an unbelievable life change for me, my family and my friends.” 

If you have a hearing loss, don’t let it keep you from communicating with family and friends or from participating in your life. Visit Hearing Aid Express today for a free hearing test and consultation.

The thought may have crossed your mind when a late night television ad appears for a hearing device that costs only $19.95 plus shipping.

These devices are known as Personal Sound Amplification Products. They are not hearing aids.

PSAPs amplify everything including noise. Hearing aids are able to be programmed and adjusted for your unique hearing loss so that they can focus on the sounds that you are not hearing.

Over-the-counter and some mail-order hearing devices can actually cause more hearing damage because they amplify sounds you may not need amplified. The result can mean an even greater hearing loss.

To be fit for a hearing aid, a patient must first take a hearing test to determine exactly what their hearing loss is. The results of the test are used to help select the most appropriate hearing aid for your loss.  To find out if you have a hearing loss, give us a call today and set up a free hearing test and consultation.

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.