Posts Tagged ‘ear’

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.