Tinnitus causes ringing in the ears and affects about 15% of the world’s population.  It is the most prevalent physical condition reported by military service members and veterans.

The Bluetooth Alera TS combines an advanced hearing aid with a Tinnitus Sound Generator. The technology is used to administer sounds that make the disturbing tinnitus noise less noticeable, drawing your attention away from it. Over time, it can help retrain your brain to not notice the tinnitus even when you aren’t wearing the instrument.

“This kind of sound therapy when combined with informed counseling is recognized as a highly effective way of managing tinnitus,” said Michael Piskosz, M.S., ReSound.

The cause of tinnitus is unknown, but more than 80% report a significant or satisfactory improvement in tinnitus symptoms after using the Tinnitus Sound Generator feature, studies show.

The Alera also uses accessories to play sound wirelessly from your television, phones and computer directly into your hearing aids. It is available in custom, receiver in the ear and remote microphone styles and is available in three different technology levels.

“These people now have a flexible solution, and no longer have to live with tinnitus interrupting their daily lives,” Piskosz said.

To learn more about the Alera TS or to have a free demonstration, call a Hearing Aid Express office today.

Myth: It’s accurate to describe your hearing loss in a percentage.

Maybe you have heard a friend say something like this: “My doctor told me I have a 30% hearing loss in my right ear.”

Fact: Hearing loss isn’t measured in percentages. It’s measured by frequencies and pitches. When you lose your hearing, you lose the ability to hear certain sounds or frequencies. When you get a hearing test, hearing professionals check to see which frequencies (and to what degree) you hear and determine the ones you don’t. Your ability to hear one frequency could be much worse than that of another frequency.  Describing a hearing loss with a single percentage wouldn’t take into account that you may have a hearing loss in more than one frequency. It also doesn’t take into account that the degree of loss could be different in those frequencies,  making it an inaccurate description of your hearing loss. Hearing professionals usually refer to a hearing loss using these terms:

n Normal hearing, 0  to  <25 dB

n Mild hearing loss, a 26 to 40 dB hearing loss

n Moderate hearing loss, a 41 to 70 dB hearing loss

n Severe hearing loss, a 71 to 90 dB hearing loss

n Profound hearing loss, great than 91 dB hearing loss

This chart is called an audiogram. To check your hearing, you will sit in a sound booth with earphones. During one portion of the test, a hearing professional plays tones at various pitches from soft to loud to determine at what point you can first detect each sound. The results of your hearing test are recorded on a graph called an audiogram.

On the top of the audiogram are the pitches that are important for understanding speech.   On the side, you will see the loudness level.  As the numbers increase, so does the volume of the test signal.  The further down the symbols are on the graph, the louder the sound had to be turned up before you could just barely hear it.  In other words, the lower the symbols are on the graph, the more hearing loss you have at that pitch.

It isn’t abnormal for someone with a hearing loss to isolate themselves.  The best way to show you care is to accompany them to a professional hearing consultation, where a hearing test is performed.

According to the Better Hearing Institute, someone might have a hearing loss if they…

• Require frequent repetition.
• Have difficulty following conversations involving more than 2 people.
• Think that other people sound muffled or like they’re mumbling.
• Have difficulty hearing in noisy situations, like conferences, restaurants, malls, or crowded meeting rooms.
• Have trouble hearing children and women.
• Have their TV or radio turned up to a high volume.
• Answer or respond inappropriately in conversations.
• Have ringing in their ears.
• Read lips or more intently watch people’s faces when they speak with you.

Or if they:

• Feel stressed out from straining to hear what others are saying.
• Feel annoyed at other people because they can’t hear or understand them.
• Feel embarrassed to meet new people or from misunderstanding what others are saying.
• Feel nervous about trying to hear and understand.
• Withdraw from social situations that they once enjoyed because of difficulty hearing.

Or if they:

• Have a family history of hearing loss.
• Take medications that can harm the hearing system (ototoxic drugs).
• Have diabetes, heart, circulation or thyroid problems.
• Have been exposed to very loud sounds over a long period or single exposure to explosive noise.

If you suspect you or someone you care about has hearing loss, contact the professionals at Hearing Aid Express for a free consultation and demonstration of the latest technology. We are here to help.

 BHI also points out that hearing devices that are purchased over-the-counter or Internet without the consultation of a hearing healthcare professional may result in the devices not being accurately customized to the specific hearing needs of the individual.

 ”Today’s state-of-the-art hearing aids should be programmed to the individual’s specific hearing loss requirements in order to provide good levels of benefit and customer satisfaction,” says Sergei Kochkin, BHI’s Executive Director. “The process requires a complete in-person hearing assessment in a sound booth; the training and skills of a credentialed hearing healthcare professional in order to prescriptively fit the hearing aids using sophisticated computer programs; and appropriate in-person follow-up and counseling. This is not possible when consumers purchase one-size-fits-all hearing aids over the Internet or elsewhere.”

 Extensive research shows that individualized hearing health assessments and fittings programmed specific to the needs of the hearing aid user provide the best chance for optimal hearing enhancement and customer satisfaction.

 “The best advice BHI can give anyone purchasing a hearing aid is to find a state credentialed hearing healthcare professional and to communicate openly during the evaluation, fitting and trial period to increase the likelihood that you are receiving the best possible benefit from your hearing aids,” says Kochkin. “It will make a tremendous difference in your ability to hear and in your quality of life.”

 The number of Americans with hearing loss has grown to more than 34 million—roughly 11 percent of the U.S. population. Over the past generation, hearing loss among Americans has increased at a rate of 160 percent of U.S. population growth and is one of the most commonly unaddressed health conditions in America today.

 Numerous studies have linked untreated hearing loss to a wide range of physical and emotional conditions, including impaired memory and ability to learn new tasks, reduced alertness, increased risk of personal safety, irritability, negativism, anger, fatigue, tension, stress, depression, and diminished psychological and overall health.

 But the vast majority of people with hearing loss can benefit from hearing aids. In fact, eight out of ten hearing aid users report improvements in their quality of life, according to a survey by BHI of more than 2,000 consumers.

Advances in digital technology have dramatically improved hearing aids in recent years, making them smaller with better sound quality. Designs are modern, sleek, and discreet. Clarity, greater directionality, better speech audibility in a variety of environments, better cell phone compatibility, less whistling and feedback than hearing aids of the past, and greater ruggedness for active lifestyles are common features.

For a free demonstration of today’s technology, schedule an appointment with a Hearing Aid Express professional today.

A paragraph from their website explains what it is: “The Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program (STAP) is a statewide program that provides financial assistance for the purchase of specialized assistive equipment or services for Texans having a disability that interferes with their ability to access the telephone network.”

Here is what it means:  If you are a Texas resident and have a hearing loss, the STAP program will provide you with a voucher that you can use to purchase a specialized amplified telephone.  It doesn’t cost you anything, and you are eligible whether or not you wear hearing aids.

Hearing Aid Express is a registered vendor with the STAP program, and can help you get your amplified phone.  Here are some frequently asked questions to help you better understand the program:

Who is Eligible for a Free Amplified Phone?

The STAP (Special Telecommunications Assistance Program) program is available to Texas residents who have a certain amount of hearing loss. Each household is eligible for one device every five years.

How Do I Find Out if I am Eligible?

We need a copy of a recent hearing test. If you haven’t had your hearing tested recently, Hearing Aid Express can screen your hearing in our offices for free to see if you qualify.

Who Pays for the Amplified Phones?

The STAP program, part of the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services under the Public Utility Commission of Texas, is funded by taxes assessed on people’s telephone service. A portion of these taxes is used to fund the STAP program and pays for the amplified telephones and other equipment.

Do I have a Choice of Phones?

At Hearing Aid Express you do. We have corded and cordless phones and even phones that work with caller ID.

When Do I Get My Phone?

Once the STAP program receives and processes your application, they will mail a voucher to you. When you get your voucher, call us or bring it in to one of our locations. We will exchange your signed voucher for a Free Amplified Phone.

Are There Other Products Besides Phones?

Yes!  The STAP program has a wide variety of products available for hearing impaired Texas residents. Hearing Aid Express carries phones, ring signalers and wireless Bluetooth neck loops for people with hearing aids to connect to their cell phones and more.

What Should I Do Next?

Call us toll free at 800-348-2018 or come in to one of our stores. Be sure to bring proof of Texas residency with your current address on it (such as your driver’s license or a utility bill). We will help you fill out the STAP application and mail it in for you.

For more information about the STAP program you can visit their page on the Public Utility Commission’s website at: www.puc.state.tx.us/relaytexas/Overview.aspx

To find out how to get a free amplified phone go to: http://www.hearingaidexpress.com/free-amplified-phone.php.

There are many myths about hearing aids, including that they make all sounds louder. This simply isn’t the case with modern, digital hearing aids. Today’s hearing aids are programmed specifically to amplify the sounds that you need to be louder.

Digital hearing aids pick up sounds with a microphone that are then amplified and sent to a receiver that sends the signal into your ear. The technology inside digital hearing aids is able to classify sounds as speech that you want to hear or noisy clutter in the background that you don’t want to hear. This technology allows users to hear better in even challenging environments.

The sophisticated digital technology also allows your hearing aids to be adjusted to fit your needs as your hearing loss changes.

What’s the best way to find out if digital hearing aids are right for you? Try them and see what you think.  We offer a free hearing evaluation and demonstration so you can “test drive” our hearing aids before you decide if you want to buy them.  Call any of our offices to schedule your free, no-risk demonstration.

Alera’s accessories send sounds directly from your television, stereo, cell phones and computer into your hearing aids so sounds are just the right volume for you.

ReSound recently introduced Alera behind-the-ear and remote microphone CIC styles. These new models are in addition to the mini receiver in the canal hearing system introduced last year.

“Other wireless technologies used in the hearing industry require the user to wear inconvenient accessories around their neck,” said Dr. Laurel Christensen, chief Audiology officer for Resound. “Alera allows the user to be successful in more situations than ever, making their overall satisfaction with hearing aids that much higher.”

Alera comes in three levels (at three different price points) to help ensure that there is a device that is tailored to your hearing needs and budget.

 Call Hearing Aid Express today to get a free hearing test and demonstration of this product.

The process, at times, seems daunting, especially if you have trouble hearing.

The Transportation Security Administration travel guidelines assure travelers that bringing your hearing aids shouldn’t be a problem.

Here is the most up-to-date information regarding hearing aids from TSA. You can find more information at, www.tsa.gov.

• It is not necessary to remove hearing aids at security checkpoints.

• It is best if you wear your hearing device while going through the metal detector.

• According to Otolaryngologist and Otolaryngology surgeons, hearing devices such as hearing aids are not affected by X-ray inspection, the walk-through metal detector, or the hand-held metal detector.

• If the screening process is unclear to you, ask the Security Officer to write the information down.

• If you can read lips or are hard of hearing, ask the Security Officer to look directly at you and repeat the information slowly.

• If you need to communicate with the Security Officer, inform her/him of your disability and the way in which you can communicate. TSA Security Officers are trained to provide whatever assistance they can to persons with hearing disabilities.

• If you are concerned or uncomfortable with going through the walk-thorough metal detector, you can ask for a full body pat-down of your person and a visual and physical inspection of the exterior component while it remains on your body.

We wish you a safe and happy holiday season whether traveling or not – Hearing Aid Express.

One detail you don’t want to overlook is your hearing. There’s plenty to be heard this time of year – carols, greetings from friends and family and giggles from happy children.

For those experiencing hearing loss, the season can be incredibly frustrating. If you suspect you have a hearing loss, don’t keep putting off doing something about it. The longer you are missing important sounds in your life.  If you are a concerned family member of a loved one you suspect has a hearing loss, offer to go with them for a free hearing test and consultation this holiday season, and help them take the first step in improving their quality of life for the new year.

Someone may have a hearing loss if they have a hard time hearing children’s and women’s voices, notice they like the television louder than others or find themselves asking others to repeat themselves. Hearing loss also makes it more difficult to hear on the telephone or in noisy environments.

If you’re not certain if you or someone you love has a hearing loss, the best holiday advice we can give: get a free hearing test and consultation this season.  Visit one of our stores or contact us for more information about hearing loss and hearing aids. Happy Holidays.

In a recent story by the Chicago Tribune, ReSound’s Alera hearing aid was listed as a gadget that makes life easier for seniors.

The Alera hearing aid comes in three models to ensure there’s a fit for your specific needs. It also has a water-resistant coating to protect against damage from moisture, humidity, dirt and debris. This hearing aid also comes with surround sound to help you hear rich sound while maintaining awareness of the sounds around you – even in hard-to-hear listening environments.

If you’re considering this hearing aid, call Hearing Aid Express today for a free hearing test, consultation and demonstration.  Don’t forget to check out this review by the Chicago Tribune – click here