Who doesn’t enjoy finding a good bargain? But you need to be careful and be aware of small details when it comes to your health.

The names “hearing aid” and “hearing amplifier” might seem similar but they are actually very different devices. And your general hearing and health could suffer major consequences if you make the wrong choice about this.

Hearing amplifiers

A hearing amplifier is a small device that, when put in your ear, raises the volume of the sounds around you. Technically classified as personal sound amplification products by the government, these devices tend to be fairly simple and one-dimensional. The volume of the world is essentially turned up.

These devices are typically not recommended for individuals with moderate to significant hearing loss because of their one-size-fits-all approach.

Clear difference between hearing aids and personal amplifiers

It begins to become pretty obvious that hearing aids aren’t the same as hearing amplification devices when you consider that amplifiers are not recommended for people with even moderate hearing loss. Hearing aids, obviously, are recommended for people who suffer from hearing loss.

Both hearing aids and hearing amplifiers make things louder. The biggest difference between the two devices is how cutting edge that amplification is.

• Picking out and amplifying speech is one of the main functions of a hearing aid. To some extent, that’s as a consequence of the irregular way hearing loss develops, but it’s also because communication is such an important function of your hearing. So this function has been prioritized by hearing aid producers who have put considerable resources into improving it. In order to make certain voices can be heard clearly even in a noisy room, state-of-the-art technology and algorithms are bundled inside of modern hearing aids.
• Hearing aids are designed to identify and magnify specific wavelengths of sound. Because hearing loss often progresses wavelength by wavelength. Frequencies at the higher and lower end of the spectrum are usually the first to go. Instead of making everything louder, hearing aids work to plug holes in what you’re hearing. For individuals who have hearing loss, this selective approach is more effective.
• Whatever environment you find yourself, your hearing aids can tune in to it. There are quite a few variables that will influence the specific acoustics of a space. Some hearing aids can adjust to these changes automatically. Other models can be adjusted with a smartphone or a dedicated device. By making minute adjustments to the settings of your hearing aid, you’re able to hear better in a wider variety of settings, meaning there will be fewer places you wish to avoid.

Bottom line, these features are vital components of properly managing hearing loss. Usually, personal amplifiers don’t have these features.

The right deal for your ears

Along with a decreased ability to hear, untreated hearing loss can also lead to mental decline. Because amplifiers don’t distinguish between frequencies, if you raise the volume enough to hear what you’re missing, you’ll likely have it up too loud for other frequencies….and damage your hearing further. And that isn’t good for anybody.

Unless your hearing loss is being caused by earwax, hearing aids and certain surgeries are the only authorized treatment options for hearing loss at this time. Dismissing hearing loss and avoiding treatment doesn’t save you money ultimately. Neglected hearing loss has been shown to increase your overall healthcare costs more than 40 percent. The good news is, there are affordable solutions. Just ask us.

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References

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373077