13
Buying A Hearing Aid
How can a wise choice be made when selecting
a hearing aid? Stop at this point. We must start
at the beginning — buying a hearing aid is the
middle of the story.
There are several questions that must be
answered before discussing the buymanship of a
hearing instrument.
WHO
AID?
HAS RECOMMENDED THIS HEARING
HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS IS THE PROPER
TREATMENT FOR THE PARTICULAR HEARING IMPAIRMENT?
HAS THE HEARING BEEN TESTED BY A
CERTIFIED AUDIOLOGIST OR ANEYE,EAR,
NOSE AND THROAT SPECIALIST?
Another important question:
WHO WANTS THE HEARING AID?
In a typical family situation the later question
is answered:
"FATHER, YOU NEED A HEARING AID,"
John shouted. "I do not," Father replied, "I
can hear you." "Only when I SHOUT," John
insisted.
Usually the family wants the hearing aid for
its own benefit.
Oftentimes the person who is "hard-of-hear-
ing" is either not aware of the hearing deficiency
or not ready to accept the fact. He feels that the
other person does not speak distinctly. At times
he may be right.
Oftentimes the family makes the diagnosis
and prescribes the treatment for the hearing
impairment. It is well-meant, loving concern, but
the diagnosis may not be accurate, and it may not
be helpful.
A hearing aid is not the only prescribed treatment for hearing impairments. And even though
it is the proper treatment, the person having the
hearing loss must have a keen desire to want to
wear an aid, in order to hear.
UMIVEkilTY OF NOftlh CrtrtULIlNA
WHEN AN INDrVIDUALASlBRfja^BflSKfROM
A HEARING LOSS WAKENS TO THE PROBLEM,
THEN, AND ONLY THEN, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR
HELP TO BEGIN.
There are many near-crisis stories to illustrate the awareness point — "did not hear the
emergency telephone call from a son" — "near
loss of job" — or the "substitute-hearing-aid-
spouse" became ill, — or the personality of the
"deaf person" is being affected, and family relationships are endangered.
WHERE TO START FOR HELP—-
Go to the family physician or a certified ear
specialist. A specialist is selected to examine
and care for our eyes. We wear individually
prescribed glasses to adjust the impaired vision.
Shouldn't the ears receive equal concern for
qualified care? Then, too, from the consumer
angle, is there anything more expensive and frustrating than an unwearable hearing aid, costing
several hundred dollars?
The physician may be able to treat hearing
loss medically. Ear infections, packed-ear-wax,
physical disorders in other parts of the body
and emotional disturbances may affect the hearing
temporarily, until the disorder is corrected.
There are many causes of hearing loss,
including:
a. infectious diseases, an illness,
b. accidents,
c. deterioration of hearing nerves as a result
of aging,
d. sustained exposure to loud noises,
e. hereditary tendency.
Whatever the cause, hearing losses fall into
three categories:
(1) Conductive losses occur when the tiny bones
(called hammer, anvil and stirrup) in the
middle of the ear fail to conduct sound vibrations to the inner ear. Removal of bone or
replacement by surgery may relieve this
condition.
13
Buying A Hearing Aid
How can a wise choice be made when selecting
a hearing aid? Stop at this point. We must start
at the beginning — buying a hearing aid is the
middle of the story.
There are several questions that must be
answered before discussing the buymanship of a
hearing instrument.
WHO
AID?
HAS RECOMMENDED THIS HEARING
HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS IS THE PROPER
TREATMENT FOR THE PARTICULAR HEARING IMPAIRMENT?
HAS THE HEARING BEEN TESTED BY A
CERTIFIED AUDIOLOGIST OR ANEYE,EAR,
NOSE AND THROAT SPECIALIST?
Another important question:
WHO WANTS THE HEARING AID?
In a typical family situation the later question
is answered:
"FATHER, YOU NEED A HEARING AID,"
John shouted. "I do not," Father replied, "I
can hear you." "Only when I SHOUT," John
insisted.
Usually the family wants the hearing aid for
its own benefit.
Oftentimes the person who is "hard-of-hear-
ing" is either not aware of the hearing deficiency
or not ready to accept the fact. He feels that the
other person does not speak distinctly. At times
he may be right.
Oftentimes the family makes the diagnosis
and prescribes the treatment for the hearing
impairment. It is well-meant, loving concern, but
the diagnosis may not be accurate, and it may not
be helpful.
A hearing aid is not the only prescribed treatment for hearing impairments. And even though
it is the proper treatment, the person having the
hearing loss must have a keen desire to want to
wear an aid, in order to hear.
UMIVEkilTY OF NOftlh CrtrtULIlNA
WHEN AN INDrVIDUALASlBRfja^BflSKfROM
A HEARING LOSS WAKENS TO THE PROBLEM,
THEN, AND ONLY THEN, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR
HELP TO BEGIN.
There are many near-crisis stories to illustrate the awareness point — "did not hear the
emergency telephone call from a son" — "near
loss of job" — or the "substitute-hearing-aid-
spouse" became ill, — or the personality of the
"deaf person" is being affected, and family relationships are endangered.
WHERE TO START FOR HELP—-
Go to the family physician or a certified ear
specialist. A specialist is selected to examine
and care for our eyes. We wear individually
prescribed glasses to adjust the impaired vision.
Shouldn't the ears receive equal concern for
qualified care? Then, too, from the consumer
angle, is there anything more expensive and frustrating than an unwearable hearing aid, costing
several hundred dollars?
The physician may be able to treat hearing
loss medically. Ear infections, packed-ear-wax,
physical disorders in other parts of the body
and emotional disturbances may affect the hearing
temporarily, until the disorder is corrected.
There are many causes of hearing loss,
including:
a. infectious diseases, an illness,
b. accidents,
c. deterioration of hearing nerves as a result
of aging,
d. sustained exposure to loud noises,
e. hereditary tendency.
Whatever the cause, hearing losses fall into
three categories:
(1) Conductive losses occur when the tiny bones
(called hammer, anvil and stirrup) in the
middle of the ear fail to conduct sound vibrations to the inner ear. Removal of bone or
replacement by surgery may relieve this
condition.
