An estimated 28 million Americans have some sort of hearing loss, according to the Hope for Hearing Foundation.

How do you know if you have a hearing loss? If you find you are frequently asking people to repeat themselves, if you play the TV or radio too loudly, if you can’t hear the doorbell or telephone ringing, or if you hear speech but have difficulty understanding the words, then you should get an evaluation of your hearing. You can obtain an evaluation from a hearing health care professional.

The evaluation will indicate if your hearing loss is caused by something that can be corrected by medical or surgical means. Only a small percentage of these hearing problems in adults are medically or surgically treatable, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

For others, a hearing aid can help return the richness of sound to your life.

The first step to take when considering the purchase of hearing aids is to obtain a professional hearing evaluation from a hearing healthcare provider. Hearing healthcare providers include Ear, Nose and Throat doctors, Audiologists, and Hearing Instrument Dispensers.

What to Expect During Your Hearing Evaluation and Consultation

• The provider will consult with you on your lifestyle to determine your needs and expectations. The rhythms of your life, the environment you live in and your style of interaction all figure into any hearing aid recommendation.

• Your ear canals will be thoroughly inspected with an Otoscope. This may reveal excessive earwax, eardrum damage or other hearing-related conditions. Some hearing problems (like wax buildup) can be resolved quickly and easily.

• You receive a comprehensive hearing evaluation, including speech recognition and loudness discomfort levels.

• Your local hearing healthcare provider will discuss your audiogram, explaining the degree and nature of your hearing loss. If you decide to correct it, they will go over your hearing aid options and answer any questions.

• If needed, impressions are made of your ears to help determine which style of hearing aid is most appropriate for you. These same impressions will be used to achieve perfect fit when you place your order.

What is the best hearing aid on the market?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions. There are several very good major brands. Your hearing consultant will educate you about these and help select the one that’s right for you. The best hearing aid is the one that suits your unique lifestyle and hearing loss.

Consumer Feedback Surveys indicate there are a combination of hearing aid features that will most likely to give you the most satisfaction. Consumers typically enjoy increased satisfaction when selecting a hearing aid with the following features:

• Multiple microphones to improve speech understanding in noisy environments

• 100 percent digital technology that can react quickly enough to turn the volume up for crucial speech sounds, down for louder ambient noises, and to protect you from slamming doors and other sudden loud sounds.

• Multiple programs, which give you the ability to change the manner in which the hearing aid processes sound as you move from one environment to another.

• More than one sound processing channel, so the amplification curve can be tailored to your specific hearing loss.

Some health care plans will pay for the hearing test, a hearing evaluation and even a hearing aid, but you should check with your insurance carrier to see exactly what your plan covers.

Before buying a device, ask your hearing health care professional if they offer a trial period for your aid purchase.

When considering what aid to buy, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association says to make sure that you know why the recommended aid was chosen for you and that it has the features you want. Ask for a trial period, and also ask about the device’s warranty and what you should do if it needs repairs. Find out what kind of follow-up care you will receive, too.

Be sure to attend these follow-up visits, and report all problems you are having, even if they seem small. Your hearing aid may just need a simple adjustment.

- For more information about a hearing evaluation or hearing aids, contact Hearing Services:
Vallejo office: (707) 642-8862
Fairfield office: (707) 426-4327
Vacaville office: (707) 446-0742

Hearing Services of Vallejo

28 million Americans are estimated to have some type of hearing loss. The first step if you are experiencing any difficulty is to schedule an evaluation from a professional hearing health-care provider.

The provider will consult with you on your lifestyle. Your ears will be thoroughly inspected, and you will receive a comprehensive hearing evaluation, including speech recognition and loudness discomfort levels.

The results will be discussed with you, and you may be offered the option of a hearing aid. If needed, impressions will be made of your ear to determine style and fit.

The best hearing aid will suit your lifestyle and your hearing loss, no matter what brand it is. Many different features are available. Your hearing professional will discuss what might work best for you.

Check with your insurance carrier to see what is covered under your health care plan.

Ask for a trial period on the hearing aid, and be sure to attend all follow-up visits to report any problems or ask any questions you may have.